Bagerhat: Claiming that ultra supercritical technologies will be used in the proposed coal-based Rampal Power Plant, officials on Tuesday alleged that a quarter is spreading false and misleading information about the power project.

So-called environmental activists are raising questions about the project in the similar tone and tune of a UNESCO report, they told a views-exchange meeting with journalists arranged by Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company at Bagerhat Press Club.

Chaired by additional general manager of the project Indrajit Basak, the meeting was addressed, among others, by local MPs Mozammel Hossain (Bagerhat-4) and adv Mir Showkat Ali Badsha (Bagerhat-2) and deputy general manager of the project Nobendra Lodh.

The project officials said the Rampal Power Plant will not harm the Sundarban as any possible pollution will significantly be minimised by using ultra supercritical technologies.

There will be no river water pollution and aquatic animals will not face any trouble since no waste will be released into rivers from the plant, they claimed.

The officials said coal-induced fly ash generated from the plant will be processed to check air pollution and coal will be carried on river routes by well-covered ships aiming to check water pollution.

But, environmentalists claimed that the Sundarban has already been facing various threats from natural calamities, deforestation and extinction of many species mainly due to human carelessness and the Rampal Power Plant will bring newer havoc for the forest.

According to the environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the project, the plant is expected to produce 750,000 tonnes of fly ash and 200,000 tonnes of bottom ash a year. This contains pollutants like sulphur, arsenic, mercury, lead, chromium and cadmium as well as greenhouse gas carbon dioxide.

Biologists warn that once the coal-based Rampal Power Plant goes into operation, the biodiversity of the Sundarbans, including the Bengal Tigers, will be adversely affected.