Concerns resurface over expansion of Ennore thermal plant ahead of public hearing

The proposed site for the ETPS expansion in Ennore, a region heavily polluted due to the presence of industries, is located close to a housing colony of 30,000 residents, violating environmental regulations that prohibit such proximity to human habitation.

The 660-MW expansion project faced multiple delays. When the environmental clearance was set to expire in 2019, Tangedco applied for a fresh clearance without a public hearing, which the Union Environment Ministry approved. However, in 2021, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) suspended the clearance and ordered a public hearing. This hearing, scheduled for 2022, was postponed due to COVID-19.

The expansion threatens to encroach on wetlands, including the Kosasthalaiyar River and Ennore Creek. These areas serve as critical habitats for migratory birds, mangroves, and oyster reefs while supporting local fisherfolk, say environmentalists.

R.L. Srinivasan, a resident of Ennore, said that the thermal power plants had drastically altered the environment in the area, with the air constantly being polluted compared to other parts of Chennai. He added that the wetlands had been choked with fly ash, resulting in a reduced fish catch. The expansion of the power plant would further degrade the area, negatively impacting the lives of the residents, he said.

A 2022 study led by S. Vishvaja, environmental health researcher associated with the Health Energy Initiative at the time, revealed a high prevalence of respiratory symptoms among children under five years in the Ennore area, with 63% (of 207 responses) reporting symptoms such as dry cough, nasal congestion, and breathing difficulties, which is significantly high compared to data in the National Family Health Survey-5 for Chennai and Tiruvallur districts.

Ms. Vishvaja cautioned that the expansion would worsen the situation, as the survey was conducted near the proposed site. She explained that even with a tall stack, fugitive emissions and soot from coal handling areas would pose a risk. She noted that a joint committee set up by the NGT had found that the local airshed’s capacity to handle PM 10 (fine particulate matter) was already exceeded by emissions from Stage I of the North Chennai Thermal Power Station.

Environmentalists argue that expanding fossil fuel-based energy infrastructure contradicts Chennai’s urgent need to address climate vulnerabilities such as sea-level rise, heatwaves, and catastrophic flooding.

This article was originally published in The Hindu and can be read here.