The second stage of National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) owned Gadarwara Thermal Power Plant located in Narsingpur district of Madhya Pradesh, 2*800 (1600 MW) is currently in process. The minutes of the March 2024 meeting of the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) mentioned that NTPC Limited had submitted a proposal for new Terms of Reference (TOR) for Stage II expansion of 2 x 800 MW at Gadarwara Super Thermal Power Station (STPP). In the meeting, the committee deferred the proposal due to inadequate environmental information. However, in August 2024, the agenda of the 12th meeting of the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) indicated that NTPC submitted another proposal for new Terms of Reference for Stage II. The tendering of the project is yet to begin. Both units of Stage-I are in commercial operation at 2*800 (1600 MW) capacity. The construction of Gadarwara STPP Stage-II will commence after obtaining environmental clearance and all other statutory clearances for the expanded project and approval by the Board of NTPC. People of Gangai village say that even though Phase-2 of the project has not been approved, the NTPC management has started the land clearing work for the project.
Environmental impact from Phase-1 of the project
Thousands of families from about 6 villages were affected by the phase-1 of this power plant. Before starting the power plant, big promises were made to the people of the area by the NTPC management such as employment for youth, new roads, access to electricity, water, and education will be available for free. None of the promises were kept. On the contrary, the poisonous ash, dust and smoke coming out of the plant has been polluting the fertile land, crops, water sources here. The ash coming out of the power plant is loaded in open trucks, due to which this ash gets deposited on the houses and roads of the people, its effect on the means of livelihood is clearly visible.
People of Chor Baretha village, which is the closest village to the power plant, say that groundwater was tested by NTPC in 2020. Due to groundwater pollution, NTPC had written on the hand water pumps of the villages that the water is not potable. But even today, due to lack of any other means of water, people are forced to use contaminated water.
People of Chor Baretha village, which is the closest village to the power plant, say that groundwater was tested by NTPC in 2020. Due to groundwater pollution, NTPC indicated on the hand water pumps of the villages that the water is not potable. But even today, people are forced to use contaminated water as no other water access is available. According to a report published in ETV Madhya Pradesh in April 2019, “People of the area are getting sick by injesting coal dust. The crops in the fields are getting affected by soot and if the situation remains the same, the soil here is likely to become barren. The expansion of this project will make the pollution situation even more dangerous. There has been no response from concerned authorities on the problems of the affected people.
Impact on the livelihood of farmers –
PM Narendra Modi has often been heard saying that farmers are his top priority and his government’s focus will be on making the lives of the poor and farmers easier. But contrary to this, “land of 500 farmers from 6 villages of Gadarwara – Chor Barhata, Dongargaon, Gangai, Kudari, Mehra Kheda and Umaria was acquired. EAC (Expert Appraisal Committee) meeting minutes mention that a total of 910.706 hectares (2250.40 acres) land has already been acquired to accommodate the main plant, township, and ash dyke of Gadarwara. So 260.4 acres of land out of about 652.922 hectares (1613.40 acres) land has been used for Phase-I units, ancillary facilities, ash disposal area and township etc. The remaining 257.784 hectares of land will be used for Phase-II units, ancillary facilities and ash disposal area etc. While the March 22, 2013 Environmental Clearance mentioned that a total of 1990 acres of land would be required for the final capacity of the power plant, out of which 1350 acres would be required for Stage-I (2 x 800 MW). About 318 acres is barren government land, which has been transferred to M/s NTPC by the Government of Madhya Pradesh. About 45 acres of government agricultural land have been transferred to M/s NTPC by the Government of Madhya Pradesh. Apart from this, 1580 acres are private agricultural land and the remaining 47 acres is government land. On one hand, the farmers of this area have given their land to the power plant, but the land of the farmers whose land is left is getting polluted due to the ash coming out of the power plant. Agricultural production has reduced due to this pollution.
In 2013, when the land was acquired, 80 percent of the thermal plant construction was complete. Gadarwara STPP Phase-I is Rs 11,404.62 crore (as per EC) and Rs 15,105.22 crore (as per revised cost estimate). And Gadarwara STPP Phase-II is going to be Rs 14,000.00 crore (estimated cost). This power plant built with public money has become a problem for them and will remain so in future too, because no efforts have been made by NTPC Gadarwara for the development of the area. The demands of the displaced due to the demand for permanent jobs and construction are still unresolved. In the year 2022, the farmers agitated for their demands and even today, after 11 years, the farmers are forced to agitate.
Why was CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) abolished
The 7th Expert Appraisal Committee meeting stated that “NTPC has undertaken several community welfare and community development activities under Corporate Social Responsibility and this will be further strengthened during the commissioning of Gadarwara STPP Phase-II.” The environmental clearance obtained on 22.3.2013 for Phase-I mentioned that an amount of Rs 45.60 crore was earmarked as a one-time investment for activities to be undertaken under CSR during the project construction phase. In the environmental clearance, for the development of the area, through CSR, as long as the power plant is there, development work worth 9.2 crores will be done in the villages every year and details of this will have to be submitted to Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC). In August 2020, apart from Gadarwara Thermal Power Plant, the environmental clearance related to the development work of the affected villages through CSR of 4 other thermal power plants of the country, Darlipali Supercritical Thermal Power Plant, Solapur Thermal Power Plant, Kundagi Super Thermal Power Plant and Mouda Thermal Power Plant was approved and the conditions were removed with immediate effect. Was the management talking about the development of the affected villages only on paper? Are they not afraid of any kind of action?
Villagers are reminding banks of their responsibility
In 2022, a letter was written by the villagers to the banks providing financial assistance to the power plant about the social, environmental impacts and loss of means of livelihood in the area. The financial institutions are equally responsible for the huge negative impacts of the power plant. If the banks had assessed the environmental and social impacts, then the negative impacts of the power plant could have been prevented or addressed. The responses from the banks make it seem like that the bank is retreating from its duty. If the banks followed the Environmental and Social Safeguards, a project such as this should not have been provided financial assistance .
Social and environmental violations have been done in the area by setting up the power plant. Natural resources have also been exploited, due to which the level of underground water is constantly decreasing, crop production is decreasing due to flying ash, this dangerous ash is also affecting people’s health, employment opportunities have also decreased, the construction of drains in the power plant area has blocked the way to the fields of the farmers living on the banks. Despite many written complaints by the villagers to the plant management, local SDM and District Collector, the problems still remain the same. Despite this, why is the second phase extended to 1600 MW?