Essar’s
measured exposure
Port Spain
Petroleumworldtt.com
11 04 07
Essar, the India-based steel
giant, is coming under intense scrutiny as
it moves to set up operations at Point Lisas.
In
a Q&A with Business Day, managing director
for Essar in Trinidad, PR Dhariwal, points out
that the project met the criteria set out by the
Environmental Management Authority (EMA) and says
the company is making every effort to protect the
environment. The interview is presented below:
Q: Can you clear up whether the project was approved
by the Environmental Management Authority (EMA)?
What about the Certificate of Environmental Clearance
(CEC)?
Yes,
ESCL’s project was subjected to the
CEC approval process, with ESCL submitting its
application for a CEC on November 11, 2005 to the
EMA. ESCL project required that an EIA be performed
as part of the CEC approval process. This EIA was
conducted with the results being submitted to the
EMA on February 15, 2006. A Certificate of Environmental
Clearance was issued to ESCL on August 14, 2006
by the EMA. This was the culmination of a rigorous
scrutiny of the EIA document and other pieces of
additional information that was requested by the
EMA. As part of the review process, the public
was invited, via notices in the daily newspapers
in April and May 2006, to peruse and submit comments
on the Administrative Record produced by the EMA
for the ESCL project. The EIA reports were kept
in the public offices for 30 days at five locations
to enable the public to view the documents and
the proposed plans and provide their concerns or
feedback.
Q: Was public consultation conducted? This is
one of the activities that is required to be performed
as part of the EIA?
In
the Terms of Reference (TOR) that was issued
by the EMA to ESCL for conducting the EIA, “Public
Consultation” was one of the mandatory activities,
which was completed. ESCL hosted two mandatory
public consultation meetings on January 23 and
January 27, 2006, within communities in the vicinity
of the project site. Additionally, ESCL has hosted
several other public consultation meetings with
residents of the neighbouring communities to keep
them fully informed of the developments in the
project as well as to address concerns raised.
Other than statutory public consultations, we have
at our own carried out more than two dozen meetings
with the communities with several community groups.
Q: Did the CEC contain standards to address potential
environmental impacts that may be associated with
the construction and operation of the ESCL facility?
Yes, contained in the CEC were standards to be
followed by ESCL for parameters of gaseous emissions,
liquid effluent and noise. These standards are
similar to or more stringent than those established
by international regulating agencies. The standards
are consistent with the Water Pollution Rules,
Noise Pollution Rules and Air Emission Rules (Draft)
that were developed by the EMA. All of these form
part of the Environmental Management Plan to mitigate
environmental impacts associated with the project.
Q: After issuing the CEC, does the EMA have any
other role to perform as the ESCL project advances
through the various stages?
The EMA maintains overall jurisdiction for the
management of the environment of Trinidad and Tobago.
The CEC that was granted to ESCL makes allowances
for the EMA to make impromptu visits to the project
site to monitor activities. This is to ensure that
all conditions of the CEC are being observed, in
accordance with the established standards, and
that there are no negative impacts upon human health
and the environment. These visits will be an on-going
activity by the EMA, which has already been happening
and based on their assessment they have been advising
us. During its operations, ESCL is also required
to perform several forms of environmental monitoring
activities and to submit the results to the EMA
as evidence of compliance with the standards established
in the CEC. The EMA is authorised to compel the
company to implement additional measures if there
is non-compliance with the standards.
Q : It is rumoured Essar is taking the playground
of the community?
It is not correct. The playground is outside our
boundaries.
Q: Are you displacing the communities around?
Not at all. Not a single one. Community development
is one of the important aspects of the way Essar
conducts its business. The community will have
lots of opportunities to enhance their knowledge,
employment and entrepreneurship which will have
long-term positive impact.
Though we are yet to start our production, we
have already taken initiatives and started community
work by way of education, cultural and sports activities.
Q: How strong is your commitment to protecting
the environment?
We are fully committed to the environment. We
will maintain and work within the parameters prescribed
in CEC. The first employee we hired in Trinidad
was the Head of EHS (Environment, Health and Safety).
EHS is a very important ingredient of our business
philosophy.
ESSAR
is a diversified group — steel, oil
and gas, power, shipping & logistics. Naturally,
the company has to maintain a very high standard
of environment and safety. We do that all the time
and we implement the same practices in all our
businesses.
Q. There are lot of doubts about the plant, that
it will be dangerous. What is your take on this?
I
believe this view may be due to a lack of knowledge.
We have carried out several meetings with the neighbouring
communities to clarify any issues. We are open
to clarify further if anyone has any doubt. Let’s
look at the input the plant will have — iron
ore, water, electricity, natural gas, limestone,
oxygen, for instance. None of these inputs are
hazardous. The plant technologies and processes
have been assessed thoroughly by the EMA, and only
thereafter CEC was issued by EMA.
Q: There is talk that natural gas will run out
in TT in 12 years time, based on the Scott Ryder
report. What is your plan?
We believe there is no issue on supply of gas
based on the contract signed with National Gas
Company (NGC ) for 20 years. Further, the company
has expertise on oil and gas exploration and is
ready to come forward and put all efforts on further
gas exploration in addition to the current ongoing
initiatives.
Q: How will Essar help in downstream industrial
development of the country?
We shall help fully in whatever way we can. There
is great potential to development of entrepreneurship
in various fields and also on long-term sustainable
basis : automobile, shipping, railways, containers,
storage tanks, pipe and tubes and construction,
among others.
Q: Are there any other specific requirements from
the EMA that are designed to look after the interests
of the communities?
The EMA has mandated ESCL to maintain a buffer
zone between its operations and the residential
communities. This is pertinent specifically to
our southern boundary where a 50 metre buffer zone
must be maintained at the inside of the fence-line.
In this area, no structures can be built or production
operations carried out. This area can however contain
perimeter roads and other infrastructure. Additionally,
ESCL is required to design and develop a 20 metre
green-belt of tall trees within the buffer zone.
Story
from Trinidad & Tobago's Newsday
Newsday
Thursday, November 1 2007
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