Ground seems to be laid for yet another fist-fight between the Centre and the Mayawati government. With the environment and forest ministry turning down Uttar Pradesh’s request for granting environmental clearance to the 1,320-mw pit-head power project at Dopaha for the next 8 months, the state government feels that the Centre is building up a flimsy ground to deny it the right to set up a power plant near the mine-rich area. The Centre denied clearance on the ground that the nearby Singrauli area is under observation.

In a letter to the environment and forest ministry, the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation has tried to reason out that Dopaha, in Sonebhadra, is 30 km away from the Singauli area and will in no way add to the pollution, arising owing to the production of 10,000 mw power in the area.

The Singrauli area, which is fast emerging as an energy hub of India, houses a total installed capacity of approximately 10,000 mw. This is more than 10% of total installed capacity of the country. A major chunk of the power produced at the pit-heads of Singrauli goes to the central and private sector, including NTPC’s Vindhyachal project (3260mw), Shaktinagar project (2000 mw) and Rihand Super Thermal Power project (2000 mw) in Rihandnagar. Also, Sasan Power Limited is setting up a 4000-mw ultra mega power project at Singrauli. The MP government, too, has set up its own power projects here.

“Uttar Pradesh has only Anpara A, B and D, and Obra thermal Power Station near the mines. For a power-starved state like UP, not being able to set up even one plant at Sonebhadra would mean taking the project to a far away place. This will force additional cartage and result in expensive power for people,” said an official of the UP Power Corporation. The location where the UP government is building the power project has minimal pollution levels. To nip the proposal in the bud just because some distant area is under observation for high environmental pollution is highly uncalled for. It is a sweeping decision that is likely to jeopardize the development of the power sector in Uttar Pradesh, the official added. “We have pleaded with the environmental ministry and hope it considers our request, especially in the light of the fact that UP has very limited potential of pit-head projects,” added the official.