Locals ask CM to relocate Tata’s plant in Trombay

Residents from Chembur and surrounding areas have raised strong objections to Tata Power’s decision to convert one of its units from oil and gas based generation to coal-fired power generation at its Trombay plant and have petitioned the chief minister to relocate the plant which produces 1580 megawatts of electricity daily.

Residents from Chembur and surrounding areas have raised strong objections to Tata Power’s decision to convert one of its units from oil and gas based generation to coal-fired power generation at its Trombay plant and have petitioned the chief minister to relocate the plant which produces 1580 megawatts of electricity daily.

The residents have stated the conversion of Unit 6 of Tata Power Company would lead to a rise in pollution in the area which is already known to be one of the most polluted in the city.

“Maharashtra Pollution Control Board had conducted a public hearing on January 15, 2013 at Chembur. We were assured by the government that the residents would be taken into confidence about the developments related to the proposal. Three months on, we have not been conveyed anything about the decision,” said the letter. According MPCB, locals disrupted the public hearing in which local residents and elected representatives including MLA Chandrakant Handore, former corporators Raja Chaugule, Ravindra Pawar strongly opposed the conversion of the unit.

“The conversion would raise the pollution level of Chembur to more than 180 points against the permissible index of below 80 points,” Handore said at the hearing.

MLA from Govandi Abu Asim Azmi, too, had opposed the conversion and had said the pollution could lead to the health hazards like cancer, asthma to the locals.

Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan’s views could not be known immediately as he was busy in meetings.