EIA study for Gajuwaka cement grinding unit not authentic, alleges former IAS officer

Former IAS serviceman E.A.S. Sarma expressed interest implicit the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) survey for the projected Gangavaram cement grinding portion astatine Gajuwaka, stating that it was not authentic capable for holding a nationalist proceeding by the A.P. Pollution Control Board.

In missive to APPCB president P. Krishnaiah connected Sunday (September 28, 2025), Mr. Sarma said that the APPCB scheduled a nationalist proceeding for the projected cement grinding portion with a accumulation capableness of 4 MMTPA located astatine Pedagantyada colony of Gajuwaka mandal successful the metropolis by M/S Ambuja Cements Limited aboriginal adjacent period (October).

“I person gone done the EIA survey for the task and I find it highly misleading, not authentic capable for holding a nationalist hearing,” Mr. Sarma said successful the letter.

He said that the task envisages much than 4,000 TPD of alert ash from a adjacent coal-based powerfulness plant, to beryllium transported implicit 14 km. The EIA survey is wholly soundless connected the creation of the alert ash, which contains highly toxic pollutants specified arsenic mercury, lead, radioactive isotopes of Uranium and Thorium, and dense metals similar cadmium, arsenic, zinc etc., which characterise each home ember from which specified alert ash is generated. Those pollutants volition adversely interaction the wellness of the radical residing successful the vicinity of the project, helium stated.

“The EIA survey indicates Pedagantyada habitations wrong 130 metres. To contiguous specified a highly deficient, unprofessionally made EIA survey for the alleged “public hearing”, successful my view, amounts to some APPCB and the District medication committing a superior breach of nationalist trust,” Mr. Sarma said.

Secondly, the EIA survey indicates that the task volition necessitate 4,000 KL of h2o daily. It further indicates that it volition gully 200 KL per time from a “desalination plant” 4 km distant and 400 KL per time during cognition from the aforesaid desalination plant. This raises superior concerns, helium said.

When a task proponent submits an EIA survey based connected specified misleading facts, the relation of the APPCB is to taxable it to a preliminary fact-check process and instrumentality it to the task proponent. In the instant case, the APPCB seems to person acted simply arsenic a post-box, abrogating its relation arsenic a statutory authority, helium said successful the letter.