The complainants allege the power project is so close to the Sundarbans that it is affecting biodiversity, polluting the rivers and affecting fishermen’s livelihoods
Sue Willman, supervising solicitor at King’s Legal Clinic, said the complaint was filed on Aug 11 with the Office for Responsible Business Conduct, the UK’s contact point for the OECD guidelines, and acknowledged on Aug 26. Barclays has 20 working days from being notified to respond. The 1,320 MW plant in Bagerhat district of Bangladesh is owned by Bangladesh India Friendship Power Company, a 50:50 joint venture between NTPC and the Bangladesh Power Development Board. It began operating in Dec 2022, around 4 km from Bangladesh’s Sundarbans Ecologically Critical Area and 65 km from the world heritage boundary.
Kolkata: The legal clinic at King’s College London has taken up the case of the Sundarbans, filing a complaint with the UK govt over British bank Barclays’ financial links to the Rampal thermal power project in Bangladesh, close to the mangrove forest that is a Unesco world heritage site. The complaint, however, is not a court case; the office can offer mediation and publish findings but cannot compel the bank. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Kolkata | Silver Rate in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata | Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Petrol Price in Kolkata | Diesel Price in Kolkata | CNG Price in Kolkata | LPG Price in Kolkata