Greens see red as Mouda II gets MoEF nod

The Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) has granted environmental clearance to NTPC's 1,320 MW phase II of Mouda power plant. This, despite, vehement opposition to the move by almost every participant at a public hearing held to deliberate on the issue. A number of infuriated activists have decided to move the high court against the MoEF's decision. Work on 1,000 MW Mouda phase I of the plant is already underway.

While environment minister Jairam Ramesh made sympathetic noises to the protesters' concern during his visit to Nagpur, his ministry is clearing thermal power projects with gay abandon. If this trend continues the district will turn into a gas chamber in five years. It is not clear whether Maharashtra will get any power from Mouda phase II. Vidarbha Environmental Action Group (VEAG) has claimed the entire power will be supplied to Madhya Pradesh and other states while the NTPC says that the power sharing formula is yet to be decided.