Green Alert Negros said it told Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. yesterday to lay down all the positive and negative facts before pushing for the coal fired power plant in Cadiz City.

In a letter to the DAILY STAR yesterday, GAN coordinator Junjun Mojica, named issues to prove the plant’s effect on the health of the people and on the environment, which, he said, Marañon should know.

The letter was a reaction to a recent statement of Marañon that the province needs additional power to attract more investors and that those protesting against the project do know what they are talking about as new technology keeps coal power clean.

Marañon had also said that if coal plants pollute the environment and damage the health of people, then there should have been people suffering from health problems in Iloilo who would have died by now.

Mojica said health problems are experienced in areas where a coal plant was built like in Naga, Cebu after the Department of Health issued a warning to communities exposed to coal ash and spills.

The group said it rejected the stand of the governor on the power shortage issue calling it an overuse excuse every time an energy investor comes in.

Meanwhile, members of Cadiznon Kontra Coal who also sent a letter to the DAILY STAR questioned the supposed approval of the power plant by President Benigno Aquino III and Vice President Jejomar Binay, which Mayor Patrick Escalante has announced.

They also questioned how the members of the Sangguniang Panlunsod of Cadiz determined the social acceptability of the project.*LTG

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