Mumbai: Environmental activists of Greenpeace battling for the protection of Olive Ridley turtles in coastal Orissa are elated that Ratan Tata, head of the Tata Group, has agreed to talk to them on the controversial issue of the Dhamra port being built by the industrial giant.
They say Tata's surprise offer came after Greenpeace International chairwoman Lalita Ramdas questioned the Tata Group's environmental policy on the Dhamra port. Ramdas raised the issue during Tata Steel's Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Mumbai on Thursday.
"I am glad that Tata has, for the first time, said he will take a personal interest in the issue and meet us to arrive at a solution to the impasse," Ramdas said. Both sides, say Greenpeace activists, are expected to fix the date of the meeting.
The shareholders at the AGM included former Chief of Naval Staff and Magsaysay award winner Admiral L Ramdas, who is also Lalita Ramdas' husband.
This was the third consecutive year that Greenpeace India had raised the issue at a Tata AGM. Tata was addressing the meeting when questions on the Dhamra port and its environmental impact came up.
Admiral Ramdas said: "I asked him why he is building the Dhamra port and a power plant at Alibag (in Maharashtra). I am happy he has agreed to discuss the port. This is a good point forward to clear all our doubts."
Lalita Ramdas said: "I should tell you that I am also board chair of Greenpeace International. You have done a good thing in Africa by putting on hold a Tata Chemicals caustic soda factory in Tanzania because of potential impact on flamingoes."
She said that they had a constructive exchange and it was a good opportunity to show that "we (at Greenpeace) are not eco-terrorists. We are a watchdog."
Last year, Greenpeace campaigners had taken part in several protests to ask Tata to stop the construction of the controversial port.
