Save Turtle Project by Greenpeace against the Tatas

This post of mine is prompted by a post by Shri B. R. P. Bhaskar (link here) throwing light on the concerted campaign by 'Greenpeace' to save the turtles which are threatened by Tata’s port project works at Dhamra, Orissa.
The Hindu (May 27, 2008) reports..

The project has received all statutory clearances including the environment clearance from the Government of India and the No objection certificate from the Pollution Control Board of the state. This clearance has been challenged before the National Environment Appellate Authority on certain grounds including its effect on the endangered olive ridley turtles for which the Orissa coast is the largest nesting site in the world. Speaking to The Hindu, Ashish Fernandes, Oceans Campaigner, Greenpeace said, “There are concerns regarding the loss of turtles during the dredging process and also the impact the lighting in the port will have on the turtles. Also, with other industries that will subsequently come up in the region, will no doubt have an impact on the turtles.” It is estimated that only one in a hundred turtle hatchlings survive anyway.

Greenpeace press release dated May 31, 2007 reads as follows..

The Dhamra port will be located in an ecologically sensitive area, 5 km. from the Bhitarkanika Sanctuary and less than 15 km. from the Gahirmatha nesting beaches, the world’s largest mass nesting site for Olive Ridley turtles. Given the sensitive nature of the location, it is essential that the EIA be scientifically credible, accurate, detailed and unbiased, but Greenpeace has found that it fails on all these fronts.

“This EIA is a totally inadequate tool when it comes to gauging the port’s environmental impacts,” said Ashish Fernandes, Oceans Campaigner, Greenpeace. “The main flaws relate to poor baseline ecological data, a complete omission of the impacts on turtles, impacts of noise and chemical pollution and a poor hazard analysis and emergency plan. To top it all, the EIA considers a port site that is completely different from the one currently being developed!”

This is yet another report from Business Standard..

Despite assurances by the Tatas that an 'independent' assessment will be done, not only that the study has not been commissioned yet, it is that the project is progressing at a quick pace as well. This is something totally unacceptable..