The Real Cost of Power - Bank Information Center

However, given the hazardous nature of the project, even the presumed benefits of direct employment are
questionable.
The company stated that from January-September of 2011 they spent time interacting with the community members
and leaders of MASS. They invited MASS and its members for a meeting which was organized by the Vivekananda
Research and Training Institute (VRTI) at Mandvi in February 2011. The major point that they wanted to put forward was
that “we are going to be here for the next 25 years and hence, let us build a generation together with the community.”
MASS did not attend this meeting as there was a mismatch of interests.
The company said that the fish catch declined in the past few years, even before the Tata project was commissioned.
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The temperature levels of the outlet water were to be maintained at 4-5 C above the mean sea temperature. This is
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lesser than the government-prescribed limit of 7 C. But, there was no explanation of why, the 7 C limit would not be
breached once all the 4000 MW units became operational. They said they have so far never ever given attention to
chemicals in the outlet water, as the water taken from the inlet is passed out through the outlet and it never undergoes
any chemical process. Since the team told them about the possibility of chemical content, the company agreed to
conduct the required tests.
With regards to coal dust they said they are getting the coal from Indonesia. The imported coal they get is comparatively
smaller in size (20-50mm) thus, it is not crushed and hence the dust never flies out of the wall. They claimed not to have
destroyed any mangroves.
They also denied that fishworkers' access to fishing grounds has been drastically curtailed or banned altogether because
of the construction of inlet and outflow channels, even though the latter is 7 kilometers long and divides important
portions of the creek.