HRF seeks transparency in environmental clearance to thermal projects

Human Rights Forum (HRF), a voluntary forum of rights activists, has made certain demands on the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) with regard to the process for issue of environmental clearances to thermal power projects. The Forum has asked for extension of period for filing objections from the present 15-30 days, and a mechanism to scrutinise the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports before putting them up for public hearing. HRF had pointed out glaring instances of plagiarism in the EIA report for the 4,000-MW Yadadri Thermal Power Project in Nalgonda district submitted by TSGENCO to the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the MoEF, based on which the committee has deferred the issue of EC for the project.