Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding EC granted to Talcher Thermal Power Station stage – III (2 x 660 MW), 31/01/2023
Order of the National Green Tribunal (Eastern Zone Bench, Kolkata) in the matter of Prafulla Samantray Vs Union of India & Others dated 31/01/2023.
The appeal was filed seeking quashing of the Environmental Clearance dated September 12, 2018 granted by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change to M/s NTPC Ltd for Talcher Thermal Power Station Stage – III (2 x 660 MW).
The TTPS is located in Talcher town in Angul district of Odisha. The applicant said that Angul-Talcher was declared as ‘critically polluted area’ by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in 2010 and by an order dated January 13, 2010, the MoEF&CC declared a moratorium on Environmental Clearance for the project located in areas of Angul-Talcher. The said moratorium was subsequently lifted vide Office Memorandum dated March 31, 2011 and the Odisha State Pollution Control Board was required to formulate an Action Plan for the said Critically Polluted Area (CPA).
The NGT said that there is no illegality or infirmity in the Environmental Clearance dated September 12, 2018. "We are also not inclined to give any directions for future as, in our opinion, that is absolutely unnecessary since the Project Proponent is aware of environmental laws, rules and norms and is expected to ensure their due compliances," said Justice B. Amit Sthalekar of the Eastern Zone Bench, Kolkata and dismissed the case.