Environmentalists say EIL is not qualified to conduct study, want report to be reviewed by an independent experts panel

Environmental experts and activists, who have alleged that Engineers India Limited (EIL) is not qualified and accredited as yet to conduct an environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the Mithivirdi nuclear power plant in Gujarat’s Saurashtra region, have found serious gaps in the EIA report itself in its present form. They have demanded that the EIA presented by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) as submitted by EIL should be reviewed by an independent experts committee.

When contacted on the allegations of environmentalists that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, prepared by Engineers India Limited (EIL), withheld “crucial information” on the safety

Despite attractive schemes being launched by mid and premium segment residential and plotting projects, the Ahmedabad real estate market is witnessing a consistent growth only in the affordable housing segment in the sub-Rs 10 lakh and sub-Rs 5 lakh category, say developers and experts alike.

According to experts, over 60 per cent of the close to 10,000 residential units being added up in next few months fall in the affordable housing segment, which is the sub-Rs 10 lakh and sub-Rs 15 lakh category. "There are simultaneous mid-premium and premium residential projects as well as plotting projects being launched in Ahmedabad.

Tata Power's 4,000-MW Ultra Mega Power Project (UMPP) at Mundra has become fully operational with the synchronisation of the fifth unit of 800 MW.

Tata Power Co Ltd today fully synchronised the fifth and last unit of its ultra mega power project (UMPP) in Mundra, Gujarat, taking the project to its full capacity of 4,000 megawatts (Mw).

Four units of this UMPP--800 Mw each--were commissioned in a single year, which the company calls "a new record". The addition of one of the country's largest power projects into the portfolio takes the total generation capacity of Tata Power, the country's largest private power utility, to 8,500 Mw.

Ahmedabad: The state government has admitted that the water crisis looms large over Saurashtra region. Even in January, a total of 74 villages in three talukas of Junagadh faced severe crisis. The government said that atotal of 216 dams in Rajkot and Kutch have gone dry.

In written reply to a question from Somnath MLA Jasa Barad, the state government said that Junagadh city was being given an additional 50 lakh litres of water every day. In far off villages in Sutrapada, Junagadh and Veraval, the water was being supplied through water tankers. In Junagadh, the number of villages where water was supplied with tankers was 42, followed by 26 in Sutrapada and six in Veraval taluka.

Rajkot: Thousands of farmers walked out from a public hearing in Nana Navagam organized by Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) for the proposed 6000 MW nuclear power plant at Mithi Virdi in Bhav

Villagers boycott public hearing on environment impact assesment report

Hundreds of farmers from villages that are likely to be affected by the proposed nuclear power project in Mitihivirdi, Bhavnagar, on Tuesday, walked out of the public hearing on the project environment impact assessment (EIA) report. They have been opposing the proposed nuclear power plant (NPP), with six light water reactors (LWR) of 1000 MW capacity each, since the project was announced on the grounds that it would cause irreparable damage to environment there.

Large number of farmers and environmentalists will gather at a mega congregation in Mithi Virdi village of Bhavnagar district on Monday to oppose tooth and nail the 6,000 MW nuclear power plant proposed at this coastal site.

The congregation comes just a day before the crucial public hearing to be conducted by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) at Navagam (nava) village. On March 5, NPCIL has organized the public hearing on the environment assessment report (EIA) on the first-phase 1,000 MW project that involves setting up of six light water reactors. The report has been prepared by Engineers India Limited (EIL).

The people of many villages in Bhavnagar district in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat are up in arms against the Central Government, demanding cancellation of public hearing on the environment impa