The monitoring and review of the status of compliance of specific conditions stipulated by MoEF GOI, in its letter of 6-3-2003, granting Environmental Clearance for Hyderabad International Airport ( HIA) Shamshabad, is very unsatisfactory, .not transparent & accountable to the public at large, for ensuring their effective compliance.
Supreme Court Order
The Hon'ble Supreme Court in its Order dated 1-12-2000, ruled that the government could not grant exemptions to the provisions of G.O.111, prohibiting polluting activities, in the catchment up to 10 Kms from Full Tank Level ( FTL) of the Lakes, unmindful of the fate of Lakhs of citizens of Twin Cities, to whom drinking water is supplied from these lakes. Such exemptions carelessly passed ignoring the "Precautionary Principle" could be catastrophic
By the very fact that an area of 314.0 acres, out of about 2200.0 acres of prohibited catchment area of Himayat Sagar, is being utilized for the airport activities, the monitoring & review of compliance needs special attention. The acidification of lake waters due to toxic emissions from the aircraft, during landing and taking-off operations, needs to be regularly monitored by a suitable agency, in the light of the provisions of Sub Para 3(e) of GO. 111 dated 8-3-1996
Monitoring of Specific Conditions
In the light of Supreme Court directive and the fact that prohibited catchment area of Himayat Sagar is being utilized by HIA., the specific conditions in particular, stipulated while granting E.C for HIA, are required to be monitored and reviewed for their effective compliance/implementation
Flight Scheduling and Noise Levels
The specific condition of special importance is that "Flight Scheduling and airport zoning should be properly done to reduce noise levels and their impact during night time. The noise levels should be as per the prescribed norms/standards." It may be of relevance to note, that REIA Report, predicted post project decrease in noise pollution in some areas abutting the proposed airport and the incremental noise level due to airport are pegged at 60 dBA. This aspect needs to be verified for its effective compliance & confirmed
Bird Hits & Smog
The other aspects are the possible "Bird Hits" endangering the safety of aircraft and the lives of the air- passengers & the proposed remedial measures, and the likely adverse impact of Smog in the area on the flight schedules, particularly in winter months, because of the presence of a number of air-polluting industries around the area and the proposed remedial measures etc
Need for Epidemiological Study
The evaluation of Cancer Risks attributed to Air Pollution in Southwest Chicago published in April 1993 by EPA USA, attributed 10.5% of the total cancer cases within 16 square-mile area surrounding Midway Airport, Chicago, to emissions from aircraft.
Seattle- King County Department of Public Health studied the health effects of citizens in Georgetown, an area surrounding the King County International Airport and released a report on June 20, 1997.The statistical comparison of the hospitalization rates for Georgetown with those for King and North King Counties in Seattle, show :
* a 57% higher asthma rate
* a 28% higher pneumonia/influenza rate
* a 26% higher respiratory disease rate
* a 83% higher pregnancy complication rate
* a 50% higher infant mortality rate
* Genetic diseases are statistically higher
the top five leading causes
Lack of Confidence in Monitoring / Regulatory System
The following facts, showing the speed with which the HIA Project, of considerable adverse environmental impacts on the drinking water source, in violation of the provisions of G.O.111 and Supreme Court Order, had been granted NOC by APPCB, within about 20 days from the Date of Environmental Public Hearing, speak volumes about bureaucratic / political highhandedness.
* 28-12-2002 Public Hearing
* 28-12-2002- Minutes of PH issued
* 30-12-2002 Technical Committee first meeting held
* 08-01-2003 Technical Committee second meeting held
* 17-01-2003 CFE Committee meeting held
* 18-01-2003 NOC granted by APPCB
* 07-02-2003 Application Received by MOEF
* 06-03-2003 Environmental Clearance of MOEF granted
Authority taking precedence over Prudence could be dangerous.
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