3 months ago
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Even arsenic the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has submitted Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study for its greenfield lipid refinery and petrochemical analyzable projected astatine Chevuru and Ravuru villages successful SPSR Nellore territory and Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) has conducted a nationalist proceeding past year, assorted organisations person been opposing the project, citing information concerns.
Earlier, the Human Rights Forum (HRF) members raised objections, saying that the petrochemical task volition severely impact livelihoods and inflict unmitigated contamination successful the region. They expressed concerns implicit the displacement of 4 villages – Chennaayapalem, Nandemmapuram, Pamuguntapalem and Salipeta –due to the onshore acquisition for the project.
“Acquiring 6,000 acres for a 9 MMTPA petrochemical analyzable is unacceptable. The CPCL’s 10 MMPTA task astatine Manali successful Tamil Nadu is dispersed crossed 800 acres. HPCL’s 15 MMPTA portion successful Visakhapatnam covers astir 900 acres. IOCL’s 15 MMPTA refinery-cum-petrochemical analyzable astatine Paradip of Odisha is connected 3,350 acres,” HRF A.P. caput G. Rohith said.
Scientists For People (SFP), a non-profit radical of scientists warring for biology rights, raised concerns implicit the BPCL’s upcoming greenfield lipid refinery and petrochemical complex. While the section politicians and authorities officials are upbeat astir the multi-crore project, the SFP members propulsion airy connected its interaction connected environment, livelihoods of radical and wellness hazards.
Former Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) idiosyncratic K. Babu Rao, associated with the SFP, said, “The projected petrochemical analyzable volition person a terrible interaction connected the region. The nationalist proceeding held successful December 2025 was inconclusive. The changes sought by the institution successful the presumption of notation (ToR) are much worrisome.”
Citing the illustration of Louisiana, which produces implicit 25% of the petrochemicals successful the U.S.A., helium said that the portion is called ‘Cancer Alley’ owed to the cancer-causing aerial contamination that followed the enlargement of the petrochemical industry. “The BPCL’s projected project, on with the existing powerfulness plants successful the area, volition harm wellness of the radical surviving successful the region,“ helium said.
Demanding different nationalist proceeding successful the villages, the idiosyncratic said, “Adequate greenish loop is indispensable to intercept sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and carcinogenic gases to beryllium emitted from the refinery, other the villages volition beryllium affected by the toxic gases. Chemicals specified arsenic benzene and vinyl chloride airs a hazard of humor crab (leukaemia). Memory loss, organ impairment, tegument and oculus diseases whitethorn besides occur. The authorities should explicate the changes demanded by the institution successful the ToR to each the people.”
“The pumping of 26,000 cubic metres of seawater per hr (about 6.24 lakh cubic metres per day) volition instrumentality a toll connected the marine ecosystem. When the seawater is pumped done immense pumps, food eggs and tiny organisms are destroyed. The blistery and concentrated brackish h2o near aft h2o attraction is discharged into the sea, making it intolerable to food successful the coastal areas,” helium added.
According to the SFP member, the explosive retention successful this petrochemical unit would beryllium 3.5 times much than the PVC works that the radical of Nellore rejected successful 2003. The chemicals utilized present are highly explosive. The institution has nary clarity connected the ‘off-site exigency plan’ to support radical successful lawsuit of an accident.
During the nationalist hearing, the BPCL representatives mentioned that the PSU would springiness precedence to the section younker successful providing employment opportunities astatine the projected refinery works being acceptable up with an concern of ₹1.03 lakh crore. Along with the occupation opportunities, CSR funds volition beryllium utilized for the improvement of villages, they said, adding that the neighbourhood women’s services volition beryllium utilised to summation greenery with 17,000 plants.
Speaking to The Hindu, APPCB Environmental Engineer (EE) N. Ashok Kumar said, “If the ToR are changed, we volition behaviour nationalist consultation, seeking the written representations from the radical who person immoderate objections. We volition stock the representations with the MoEFCC to see the aforesaid earlier awarding the Environmental Clearance (EC).”
