Calcutta, Jan. 13: The proposed nuclear power plant in East Midnapore’s Haripur has got the environment clearance but the chemical hub slated to come up 60km away in Nayachar has yet to get it, Jairam Ramesh said today.

After a meeting with Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee at Writers’ Buildings, the Union environment minister said: “I discussed both the Haripur and Nayachar projects with the chief minister. He told me science and technology were needed but not at the cost of environment. We have got the environment clearance for the Haripur nuclear power plant project. For Nayachar, the approval is still on hold.”

The environment impact assessment for the chemical hub in the coastal zone is yet to be completed, a source in the chief minister’s secretariat said. “Any environment study takes time and, in case of Nayachar, the effect of all sorts of chemicals, petrochemicals and downstream projects has to be considered. Moreover, in case of a Petroleum Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Region, a team comprising representatives of 15 Union ministries go through the details and that is time-consuming. A nuke plant’s approval doesn’t require such a procedure.”

District magistrate C.D. Lama said the administration had no idea about the exact location of the proposed nuclear project. “We have no inkling about plans to procure land for the project,” she said.

Trinamul, which runs the zilla parishad, is opposed to the project. Junior Union minister Sisir Adhikari, the local MP, said: “We are not bothered about what Ramesh says. His ministry should have consulted us before giving the nod.”