June 12, 2018, 10:33 pm
I am happy the ‘True Citizen’ has removed his mask and emerged, identifying himself as Ranil Senanayake as I correctly guessed, and replies my letter of 5th June, He now calls for clarifications as to the fate of our vegetation and health of our people. If RS had read and understood my letter, it clearly states, world renowned consultants in Coal Power Generation Plants, M/s Rambol of Denmark, were selected after careful scrutiny of their qualifications, experience and ability to undertake this consultancy. For the study they had engaged the following internationally reputed experts –
[a] Hans Hartelius, Team Leader, port & infrastructure planning expert
[b] Ole Michaelsen, EIA and ground water resources expert
[c] Henning Smith Lielsen, Marine environment and fish resources expert
[c] Henning Lauridsen, Coastal erosion and EIA studies specialist.
This team had met the following locals:
[a] Dr. Frank Marcus Fernando, Bishop of Chilaw who vehemently objected to siting the plant at Norochcholai, fearing damage to St. Anne’s Church at Talawila, 12 Km away and also environmental pollution
[b] Provincial Environmental Authority
[c] Ministry for Power and Energy
[d] Coast Conservation Department
[e] Department of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources
[f] Central Environmental Authority
[g] Institute of Civil Engineers of Sri Lanka
[h] Federation of Chambers of Commerce & Industries of SL
[i] Ministry of Port Development & Development of South
[j] Sri Lanka Port Authority.
NOTE -This list is mentioned to show to what extent these consultants have gone to, in meeting the local people who had fears any ill effects to both persons and country.
http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=186207#
Surely, these internationally reputed experts would have known what RB says of Acid Rain. ‘Acid rain does not usually kill trees directly. Instead, it is more likely to weaken the trees by damaging their leaves, limiting the nutrients available to them or poisoning them with substances slowly released to the soil’. Here is what the Consultants engaged by CEB had to say on Acid Rain. “No Coal fired power plant will run 365 days of the year. For operational and maintenance reasons the average operation time is expected to be 75%, ambient air quality standards were set at as not to harm people, animals and plants. Acid Rains do not occur when ambient air quality standards are met. Low levels of S02 and NOx do not have measurable effect on the pH of rain water. As no acid rain scenario is to be prepared’.
To verify and get first-hand information on this observation, Carlo Fernando the then Consultant to CEB, was sent to India’s Orissa and Bihar tea planting districts and he reported there was absolutely no damage to plantations, confirming the views of M/s.Rambol. The comprehensive M/s. Rambol’s report is available with the CEB and in the Ministry for Power & Energy. The main concerns which RS writes have received the Consultants special attention and recommendations made. They are Coal Import System, Effects of Smoke Emission Effects of Cooling Water Outlets, Effects of Coal Handling, Ground Water Quality, and Water Quality in Puttalam Lagoon etc. Without reading the report of the consultants, it is very uncharitable or unprofessional for RS to say ‘the consultant is attempting to “GREEN WASH” the reality of Dirty Coal. Continue reading “TheIsland: Don’t mix national well-being with coal contract”
