1 May 2017, Mon, 11:08

UNESCO closely monitoring Rampal plant construction

The UNESCO has said it is closely monitoring the steps Bangladesh is undertaking with regard to conserve the Sundarbans, in the wake of construction of the coal-fired Rampal power plant near the World Heritage site.

Director of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s World Heritage Centre Mechtild Rössler said this replying to an open letter expressing concerns over Rampal power plant construction.

The letter issued by 70 environmentalist organisations was sent to the UNESCO chief on 20 April.

The 70 green groups in the letter demanded to put up the Sundarbans in the list of World Heritage in Danger if the construction of Rampal and Orion’s power plants is not shelved. 

The UNESCO prepared a report on Rampal power plant’s impact on the ecology of the Sundarbans.

The report will be presented by the World Heritage Committee at the 41st general assembly of the UNESCO in Poland on 2 July in 2017.

The UNESCO assembly will discuss whether Sundarbans will be declared as a World Heritage in Danger.