World Citizen Concern for Rampal and Phulbari

Resuscitating a Dinosaur couple

In a time when the basis of civilization, the so
called modernism is challenged, in a time when Bolivia is
passing the Law of the Rights of Mother Earth, Bangladesh
is resuscitating a Dinosaur couple – an open pit coal
mining in Phulbari and a thermal power plant in Rampal,
Sunderban.  As a concerned global citizen, we feel
the urge to stand by the struggle of the people in BD
fighting this couple.

The Phulbari Project

The Phulbari Coal Project would excavate an immense
open pit coalmine in the Phulbari region of northwest
Bangladesh. The project threatens to destroy the homes,
lands, and water sources of as many as 220,000 people, and
forcibly evict tens of thousands of people. The families
whose farmlands would be destroyed are at risk of being
made destitute, as the project would not provide
replacement land to those who are displaced. The project
has faced widespread opposition in Bangladesh, with
massive protests involving tens of thousands of people
beginning in 2006 and continuing through today.

Project Details

Location: Dinajpur district of northwest
Bangladesh, just six miles from the Indian
border
Land acquired for the project:
14,660 acres, 80% of which is fertile
farmland
Projected lifespan of the mine:
36+ years
Total coal extraction: 572
million tons; 16 million tons annually at peak
production
Use: investment agreement
allows for export of all coal; estimated one-fifth to be
used for domestic energy consumption in Bangladesh with
the remainder earmarked for export.
Coal-fired
power plants: at least one 500 MW plant in the port
city of Khulna
Revenues & taxes to
Bangladesh: 6% fixed sales royalty; no export
duties; and a nine-year tax holiday

The Rampal Project

Bangladesh Power Development Board and the National
Thermal Power Corporation of India signed a contract to
build, under joint venture, the 1320MW Rampal Coal Fired
Power Plant near Sundaban. This is an invitation to a
developmental disaster, one which can help destroy one of
the world’s natural wildlife wonders.

Please find the attachments for further
details.

An Appeal – it is time to speak out

Considering the need of the hour, we invite all
concerned global citizens to exercise their right and join
the protest initiative on fighting this Dinosaur
couple. Please make your voice heard by signing the petition to stop the destruction (Click Here) Btw, it is 4570 signatures now.

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Thanks and Regards,
Indranil
Saha
Mobile +91 9674242004