SEHD :: The Society for Environment and Human Development

Page - 4

Conclusion

At the center of so many questions and worries raised is the open pit or surface mining, a method to be applied first time in Bangladesh. No Bangladeshi company or investment is involved with this project. Everything will be carried out under Asia Energy’s authority. And the company expects everybody to believe in all that it proclaims! The local press and the environmental groups lack critical and analytical attitude towards information, data and analyses that the company provides and hide.

Although the people of mine area and their supporters stand strong against the Phulbari Coal Project, they are not against extraction of the coal in general. Their understanding is that the ownership of the coal and fate of the affected people just cannot be handed down to a foreign company. They suggest waiting until the country develops its own mining expertise and technology. “We may give our consent when the country will be able to mine the coal resource with our own technology,” says Principal Md. Khurshid Alam Moti, a top leader of Phulbari Raksha Committee.

There are many others who join their voices with Principal Moti. “We need coal for our energy security. We cannot afford to give full charge of this coal resource to a foreign company. We would not get much benefit from the investment in the Phulbari Coal Project,” says Prof. Anu Muhammad. “The coal has been lying there for 270 million years. Let it stay there for another 10-20 years. In the meantime we prepare ourselves to extract it. That would ensure our national interest.”

Asia Energy turns down the demand of the Phulbari people and others to wait until Bangladesh builds its own expertise and mining technology. It says by the time Bangladesh has it own mining expertise and resources, the fossil-fuel may not be required any longer. So it is high time to extract the coal, claims the company. If our government has the same opinion, we need to clearly examine at what cost we get some benefits from the coal. The interest and opinions of the people in the mine area demand serious attention in this regard.

Phulbari Coal Project: Some Basics
[According to Asia Energy, 2006]

Project Proponent: Asia Energy Corporation (Bangladesh) Pty Ltd. the Bangladesh subsidiary of UK based Asia Energy PLC.
Product: Bituminous coal (high calorific value, low ash, low sulphur)—both thermal and metallurgical.
Estimated Coal Deposit: 572 million tons some 150-250 meters beneath the surface.
Co-Product: Clay, Sand, Gravel, Kaolin, Water.
Total Coal Resource: 572 million tones (would be higher still with further drilling in the south.
Export/Local consumption: Coal will be both exported and consumed domestically. Export will be mostly through Khulna and Akram Point in partnership with Bangladesh Railway and Mongla Port Authority.
Project life: More than 30 years.
Project timeframe: Dewatering is due to start in 2006, physical mine development in 2007 and first production of coal in 2008.
Project area: 7 Unions and 1 Municipality in 4 Upazilas of Phulbari, Birampur, Nawabganj and Parbatipur in the district of Dinajpur.
Total land area required for the Project: About 5,900 hectares over the life of the mine.

Companies and Individuals Providing Specialist Inputs to the EIA

SMEC International Pty Ltd, Australia: Project management, social impact assessment, resettlement planning, environmental monitoring, surface water hydrology, hydraulic modelling, GIS, air quality, noise, rehabilitation, water quality, traffic, town planning, the environmental management plan, EIA/SIA reporting.
GHD Pty Ltd, Australia: Resource evaluation, geotechnics, hydrogeology, local and regional infrastructure and transport, data management, geophysics, river diversion studies.
Mine Consult Pty Ltd, Australia: Mine design and mine scheduling.
QCC Ltd, Australia: Coal quality, coal treatment plant.
Coffey Geosciences Pty Ltd: Water management, mine water balance.
Centre for Environmental and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS), Bangladesh: GIS database, surveying, field hydrology instrumentation and data collection.
Nature Conservation Management (NACOM), Bangladesh: Dry and wet season ecological database and biodiversity field assessments.
Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC): Airborne particulate matter sample analysis, quality assurance auditing, geophysical borehole logging.
Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS): Resettlement surveys.
Health Promotions Limited: Health impact assessment.
Institute of Water Modelling (IWM), Bangladesh: Regional surface water modeling.
The World Conservation Union (IUCN): Legislative and policy advice, peer review of biodiversity study.
Dr M.K.Ahmed, Dhaka University: Arsenic in groundwater assessment.
Dr N.Kamal & K.Z. Ashan, Independent University: Demographics.
Mr Mannan, Independent University: Anthropology, ethnic minorities.
Professor M Hoque, Jahangirnagar University: Archaeology, historical sites.
Dr Amin, Hazi Danesh Science & Technology University, Dinajpur: Soil science and agriculture.
Professor SMM Rahman, Dhaka University: Socio-economics.
Dr. Zaman, Canada: Resettlement.
Dr. Chris Johansen: Agriculture, land utilisation, rehabilitation.
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET): Water quality testing.
ALS Environmental Laboratories, Brisbane, Australia: Water quality testing.
International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B): Bacteriological and arsenic testing.
Source: Environmental Impact Assessment, Phulbari Coal Project, Asia Energy, June 2005

SEHD Report.
(Please send information and your opinions/suggestions on the Phulbari Coal Project, open-pit and any other relevant information to SEHD at its email:sehd@citechco.net. Visit our website: sehd.org to see images of the mine area.).

: : About SEHD : : Activites : : Services : : Exhibition : : Updates : : Contacts : :

.Web site design: Siraj/ Drik