Sinking feeling

Sir— The fierce opposition faced by the government of West Bengal to the attempted land acquisition in Nandigram has forced it to choose Nayachar as the site for a chemical complex (“Island in zone of no development”, Sept 5). Nayachar, a barren, sparsely populated island, has none of the problems that had stood in the way of setting up of industries in Nandigram. However, the advantages of building the chemical hub on this island are more apparent then real. A huge industry in the coastal area will disturb the fragile ecological balance. Although development is officially banned in the Coastal Regulation Zone, there is no doubt that the government will use its clout to obtain a clearance in no time. The mangroves on the island will be destroyed for clearing the land and once the factory comes up, chemical and toxic wastes will start flowing into the water. This will pollute the river further, killing the already endangered riverine species quickly. If the government cares for the environment, then it should immediately halt its project on Nayachar.

Yours faithfully,
Subhankar Mukherjee, Burdwan

Sir— The government of West Bengal will be committing yet another blunder if it goes ahead with its project of building a chemical hub in Nayachar. Although the estuarine island has remained relatively stable over the last 20 years, there is no guarantee that it will remain so in the years to come. Estuarine islands are known to disappear as suddenly as they form. Moreover, there will always be the danger of a tsunami, which might submerge the entire island.

The chief minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, should give up the idea of setting up heavy industries in Nayachar. Instead he should take steps to bolster the existing prawn cultivation there.

Yours faithfully,
A.S. Mehta, Calcutta

Sir— Would the displaced people of Nayachar get hefty compensation packages from the government if it were to build a chemical industry in Nayachar? Even if the people were to receive the money, it would not prove to be profitable in the long run.

There are other reasons not to proceed with the plan of setting up a chemical hub on the island. The costs of building a chemical complex on a low-lying island will be higher than those on the mainland. Besides, the stability of an estuarine island like Nayachar can never be taken for granted. The industry minister, Nirupam Sen, has assured that the soil of the island will be modified with the help of modern technology to make it suitable for development. But such a process will surely drain out huge amounts of money at the outset. Connecting Nayachar with Haldia would also require the construction of a three-kilometre long bridge on the Hooghly and this again would lead to considerable expenditure. Work at the chemical complex cannot start until the bridge is completed, which will take at least 3-4 years. All these should be reason enough to dissuade the chief minister and his comrades. They should not embark on a losing venture just because they could not acquire Nandigram.

Yours faithfully,
Govind Das Dujari, Calcutta

Sir— One feels sorry for Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. His plans to create an industrialized Bengal are being thwarted time and again. The people’s opposition to the use of agricultural land for industry in Nandigram caused the project there to be stalled. So Bhattacharjee has been compelled to look at Nayachar as an alternative site. But Bhattacharjee had forgotten about the environmentalists, who, having suddenly woken up from slumber, are crying hoarse about the damage that the chemical complex will cause to the ecology. The people of Bengal should not pay any attention to the green brigade, which is opposed to the chief minister’s plans. Bhattacharjee should be allowed to go ahead with his plans so that he can realize his dream of industrializing Bengal.

Yours faithfully,
Ravindra Kumar, Calcutta

Sir— I was alarmed on reading about the government’s decision to set up a chemical industry in Nayachar. Having worked in the capacity of the general manager with the Dredging Corporation of India and the Calcutta Port Trust, I have a fair knowledge of the nature of this island and of the river that surrounds it. I can say that as soon as the Balari sandbar, which lies at the northwest tip of this island is dredged, Nayachar will start getting eroded. And it is necessary to dredge this sandbar to allow Haldia-bound ships to have a a wide passage.

Besides, Nayachar cannot be compared to man-made islands like those in Singapore or in Dubai because the nature of its soil is different. Nayachar is made of silt mixed with fine sand whereas coarse sand is used in the making of artificial islands. Unlike the mixture of silt and sand, coarse sand gets compacted soon, permitting the construction of large structures. Any building raised on Nayachar therefore will not be quite stable. Organizations such as the CPT and the Geological Survey of India should be consulted before the government gives the green signal to the project.

Yours faithfully,
Bachaspati Goswami, Calcutta