NGT suspends clearance for Ennore power plant extension

Tribunal directs Environment Ministry to hold public hearing within two months

The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has put in abeyance the Environment Clearance (EC) granted to the 660 MW Ennore Thermal Power Station expansion project for a period of six months, and has directed the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF) to conduct a public hearing for the project.

The bench, however, said there was no necessity to set aside the EC as void abinitio on the grounds that the public hearing had not been conducted, while also allowing the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited (Tangedco) to proceed with the construction activity. The bench said the Tangedco should not commence operations without completion of the process of incorporating additional conditions, if any, made by the MoEF.

The NGT directed the Ministry to conduct the public hearing within a period of two months, and after getting the public opinion on the project, direct the Tandegco to conduct further studies, if required. Following this, an additional Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report needs to be submitted to the Expert Appraisal Committee of the MoEF. After getting its views and recommendations, the Ministry has been directed to pass appropriate orders required on ‘Precautionary Principle’, the bench said.