Nayara's Rs 1.3 lakh crore expansion: Public hearings on August 28, 29

Ahmedabad: The much-delayed public hearing for environmental clearance to Russian oil giant Rosneft-backed Nayara’s proposed Rs 1.3 lakh crore expansion plans at Vadinar will now be held on August 28 and 29 .

The hearing has been kept in two parts, as some part of the project affected area falls in the Devbhoomi Dwarka district while others are in Jamnagar district, sources said.

The hearing comes after some villagers approached the high court, alleging that a public hearing which is mandatory for the project was not held.

Last August, a public consultation for the project was held for grant of environmental clearance for the expansion plans. This was opposed by some villagers who claimed that the government authorities had tried to sidestep the public hearing process by choosing the public consultation.

The environment appraisal committee (EAC) under the Union environment ministry deferred the matter after it was approached by the company for environmental clearance, according to an interim order passed by the high court earlier this year.

The court order quoted the senior counsel of the company, according to whom the EAC had deferred grant of clearance.

Nayara Energy’s expansion plan includes the setting up of a 10.75 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) capacity petrochemical complex and expansion of the refinery from 20 MTPA to 46 MTPA for a total investment of about Rs 1.3 lakh crore. The expansion will also mark Nayara Energy’s foray into the petrochemicals business.

The public hearing was delayed due to the lockdown.

At one instance, villagers had sought permission from the district collector to allow them to step out of their homes during the lockdown for the state pollution control board’s hearing on May 1.

The sarpanch of Gagava village near Jamnagar had sought permission for a village-level meeting during the lockdown to discuss the environment impact assessment (EIA) report. His request was turned down by the authorities and the hearing was postponed.