27 December 2024,
The Rampal Thermal Power Plant, which is destroying the Pasur River and the Sundarbans, must be canceled immediately. This environmentally destructive power plant was constructed to serve India’s interests.
A report by the government agency CEGIS states that the level of toxic mercury in the Pasur River is now ten times higher than the permissible limit. Due to pollution in the Pasur River, which is the lifeblood of the Sundarbans, aquatic species, including fish, are on the brink of extinction. To save the planet, there is no alternative but to shift from fossil fuels to sustainable and renewable energy sources. Cancel the Rampal Thermal Power Plant and adopt an alternative renewable solar energy system.
This demand was raised on Friday (December 27) during a public assembly organized at Narikel Tala, Mongla, Bagerhat by “Dhoritri Rokhhay Amra (DHORA)” and Pasur River Waterkeeper. The assembly was held to call for the cancellation of the Sundarbans-destroying Rampal Thermal Power Plant and demand safe water, clean air, and sustainable livelihoods.
The public gathering, which started at 3 PM, was presided over by environmental activist Md. Noor Alam Sk. The chief guest of the event was Dr. Abdullah Harun Chowdhury, a professor from the Environmental Science Discipline of Khulna University. Sharif Jamil, the Member Secretary of ” Dhoritri Rokhhay Amra (DHORA)” and Buriganga Riverkeeper, was the keynote speaker.
Special guests included Tofazzal Sohel, coordinator of “Haor Rokhhay Amra” and Khowai River Waterkeeper. Other speakers included environmental organizer Abdur Rashid Howlader, Fishermen’s Association president Bidyut Mondal, Kamla Sarkar, women leaders Chhobi Hajra and Shikha Haldar, Gaffar Molla, leader of the Dhangmari Dolphin Conservation Team Israfil Boyati, and Hasib Sardar, among others.
Chief guest Dr. Abdullah Harun Chowdhury mentioned that the environmental damage caused by the Rampal Thermal Power Plant has already been highlighted in the CEGIS study. The plant has only started operating partially, yet this is the state of the environment. If it becomes fully operational, the region’s water, fish, and aquatic species will be destroyed. The surviving aquatic species will carry toxic chemicals, leading to their migration and negative effects on human bodies and the food chain. From November to March, north-to-south wind flow spreads pollution from the Rampal Power Plant, causing severe harm to biodiversity in the Sundarbans. Since the plant is not yet fully operational, it should be closed and replaced with an alternative sustainable renewable solar energy system. The environmental harm caused by keeping the plant operational will far outweigh the harm caused by shutting it down.
In his speech, Sharif Jamil, Member Secretary of DHORA, said that scientific research has shown evidence of pollution in the Pasur River. Fish stocks in the river and the Sundarbans are dwindling, and fishermen are struggling to survive. Therefore, in the public interest and for the protection of the Sundarbans, the Rampal Thermal Power Plant must be shut down immediately. He added that due to the effects of climate change and excessive vessel traffic, riverbank erosion has left people homeless. The lack of access to safe water and sustainable settlements has forced them to live in inhumane conditions. He stressed the need for a comprehensive public review and reassessment of ongoing projects. Furthermore, to protect the biodiversity of the Sundarbans and the aquatic life in the Pasur River, the fossil fuel-dependent Rampal Thermal Power Plant must be canceled.
In addition, it was highlighted that Bangladesh has approximately 576,000 acres of unused government land, where neither cultivation nor housing exists. Utilizing just 10% of this land could generate 25,000 megawatts of renewable solar energy.