Nayachar, all cock-and-bull: 'No industry permitted in Nayachar'

Saturday, October 27
Headlinesindia.com

Kolkata: In a jolt to the West Bengal government's proposed chemical hub at Nayachar Island in East Midnapore district, the Centre has stated that no industry could be set up there as it fell under Coastal Regulation Zones-I and III. "The Nayachar island falls within the Coastal Regulation Zone and falls under the category of CRZ-I and CRZ-III ... In the CRZ area setting up of industries/expansion of existing industries is a prohibited activity," Additional Director in the Ministry of Environment and Forests A Senthil Vel said in a letter to Santanu Chakraborty, an activist working for NGO 'Disha'.

Chakraborty had sought information from the MoEF under the RTI Act on whether the ministry had any knowledge of plans to set up petrochemical or any other chemical industry in Nayachar, whether Nayachar was covered under the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification and whether petrochemical or any other chemical industry was permitted there.

In his letter dated October 5, Senthil informed that the MoEF had not received any proposal for setting up of petrochemical or any other industry in Nayachar Island. West Bengal Industry Minister Nirupam Sen had, however, told newsmen on October 15 that the state government had submitted a specific proposal to the Centre for setting up the chemical hub at Nayachar. The proposal for the 11,000 acre hub was approved by the state cabinet on September 25.

Interestingly, although there was a State Coastal Zone Management Authority in West Bengal, the state had no Coastal Zone Management Plan. (PTI)