The information provided by Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd. (KPCL) in a communication of date 10.10.2006 to Mysore Grahakara Parishat under the Right to Information Act has confirmed that KPCL has proposed to establish a 500 MW capacity coal based thermal power project at Chamalapura near Mysore, and is proposed for completion in 12th Five Year Plan (2012-2017). KPCL has also confirmed that tenders have been called for the preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR), and also for conducting Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) studies. KPCL has also taken up with the central govt. for allotment of coal block for captive mining.

So the news that KPCL has proposed to establish coal based thermal power project at Chamalapura near Mysore is official. So we, the Mysoreans, have to decide whether such a polluting plant (whatever may the project proponents say in this regard) is in the best interest of Mysore.

The real concern here is that once the project gets the required approvals from various agencies, it will be very difficult to halt the further proceedings.

Some of the issues connected with a place housing such a project are:

1. A coal power project requires a huge chunk of land; about 1,000 Acres of land for a capacity of 1,000 MW, mostly a fertile agricultural or forest land or both.
2. Pollution due to dust from the handling of large quantity of coal; unloading from rail; storage, crushing, etc.
3. Pollution due to flue gases from the chimney; fly ash, liquid ash etc.; impact on nearby flora, fauna and human beings including the agricultural crops;
4. The long term impact of ash storage on site; pollution of land and sub-surface water etc.
5. Clear possibility of less than 100% of ash utilization even though there is a MOEF mandate to have 100 % ash utilization beyond 2009; transportation/handling of ash to the nearby utilization sites;
6. Increase in atmospheric temperature due to flue gases from the chimney;
7. Potential for respiratory and other health related problems for the people working in and living around the project area; the impact on Mysore city cannot be wished away;
8. Visual impact of huge size chimneys (about 245 Meters), buildings, large switchyard etc.
9. Visual impact of a mountain of coal, and ash ponds;
10. Visual impact of huge transmission towers and lines;
11. Potential for sudden increase in land costs; sudden increase in demand for housing;
12. Increased atmospheric pollution due to increased number of vehicles; traffic congestion on the highway nearby; potential for increased number of accidents;
13. Potential for sudden increase in commodity price for the locals;
14. Potential for increase in the price of locally available construction materials and other goods;
15. Discoloring and/or accelerated deterioration of surfaces of local buildings due to atmospheric pollution;
16. Known/unknown impacts of large scale destruction of forests for the right of way of power transmission lines;
17. Disturbance to peace due to large scale construction activities;
18. Obstruction to free movement of birds due to tall chimneys spewing out hot air;
20. Potential for the perpetual reduction of certain revenue to the state forest department year after year;
21. Potential for perpetual reduction of the availability of certain herbals in the local forests;
22. Potential for decreased water quality of the local rivers and water bodies like lakes due to atmospheric pollution;
23. Potential for adverse impact of micro-ecology of the locality including insects, worms, birds etc.

Shall the city of Mysore, with a relatively clean green image, go the same way as the cities 'blessed' with coal based thermal power project?