Dhaka: National Committee to Protect Sundarbans (NCPS) on Saturday demanded that an UN-sponsored environmental impact assessment (EIA) study be conducted for the 1320-MW Rampal coal-fired power plant project to have a clear and credible idea about the possible environmental impacts on the Sundarbans.

The committee said the study should be conducted by a group of international independent experts who will determine the real impacts on the forest declared as world heritage by the UN.

NCPS convener advocate Sultana Kamal came up with the demand while addressing a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) to mark the Rampal Day, a day to be observed on Sunday by many political, social, environment groups to protest the government’s move to set up coal-fired power plants near the Sundarbans.

NCPS member secretary and president of Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (Papa) Dr Abdul Matin and other leaders also spoke at the press conference.

Terming the EIA report prepared by Department of Environment a distorted one, the NCPS leaders urged the government to suspend all sorts of work of Rampal Power Plant and also the works of Orion Group’ s power project until the proposed UN committee finalises its report.

Sultana Kamal said the NCPS have launched the campaign to protect the Sundarbans from the people’s civic responsibility.

‘We’re the citizens of the country, not vassals. Raising voice is the responsibility of citizens. So, the government is bound to accept our demand,’ she told the press conference.

Sultana Kamal also urged the government to limit the visit of tourists to the Sundarbans’ protected areas and not to allow navigational movement of vessels and shrimp farming within the mangrove forest.