Anti-coal activists target of Adani boss
Chairman of the Adani Group, Gautam Adani, has directed a strong and scathing attack towards anti-coal activists and Adani protagonists in Queensland and across Australia for caring less about regional Queenslanders and the devastating poverty faced by millions of Indians.
The Indian energy and logistics corporation boss directed his strong rebuke of the anti-coal activists in Australia as the final investment decision approval for the Carmichael coal mine and railway project has been given the go ahead.
“I am proud to announce the project has Final Investment Decision (FID) approval which marks the official start of one of the largest single Infrastructure – and job creating – developments in Australia’s recent history,” Mr. Adani said.
“This is an historic day for Adani, an historic day for regional Queensland, and an historic day for Indian investment in Australia.
“This is the largest single investment by an Indian corporation in Australia, and I believe others will follow with investments and trade deals.
“We have been challenged by activists in the courts, in inner city streets, and even outside banks that have not even been approached to finance the project.
“We are still facing activists. But we are committed to this project.
“We are committed to regional Queensland and we are committed to addressing energy poverty in India.”
Mr. Adani said the Carmichael projects will generate 10,000 direct and indirect jobs, with pre-construction works starting in the September Quarter 2017.
Australia Head of Country and Chief Executive, Jeyakumar Janakaraj, said the company had already invested $3.3 billion in the project including buying the bulk coal handling port at Abbot Point.
Adani signed letters of award for design, construction, operations, supply of materials and professional services.
The biggest deal is with Downer Mining for the construction and operation of the Carmichael mine.
The company has also announced in the past few weeks contracts totalling more than $150 million for railway tracks and concrete sleepers for the planned 388-kms standard gauge rail link between the mine and Abbot Point.
Importantly, these contracts had gone to regional cities to generate jobs – $74 million for railway tracks (Arrium Steel, Whyalla) and $82 million for sleepers (Austrak, Rockhampton).
Mr. Janakaraj announced a further contract for the Carmichael Rail Network linking Galilee Basin mines including our mine to the port of Abbot Point.
This contract is with AECOM, who are regionally based here in Townsville.
The AECOM deal, which covers surveying and design for the rail link, with the company basing 70 people in Townsville.
“But we are building more than a rail line,” Mr. Janakaraj said.
“We are building a line that will open the Galilee Basin, linking that massive coal reserve to markets around the world, generating power, and – importantly – generating many thousands of direct and indirect jobs in regional Queensland.
Oxfam Australia CEO Dr. Helen Szoke said; “Make no mistake, Adani’s proposed mine is a disaster for the world’s poor. More coal will drive more people into poverty through the devastating consequences of climate change and the direct toll of coal burning on local communities.”
However, the Australian charity has come under serious criticism for exaggerating the impact of climate change on global poverty numbers and misleading the Australian public on the percentage of their money being donated to starving children.
On a recent visit to Africa to visit his sponsored daughter, TREN’s editor learned directly from front-line Ugandan officials near the South-Sudan border that another Australian global charity organisation was planning on closing down its child sponsorship program due to the lack of funds from the head office in Australia.
The Charity’s Ugandan director of projects said, “The Aussies are not giving as much as they used to. The priorities of the Australian leaders are being directed into climate change. The children are still in need of food, shelter and education in the Gulu area”.
“In Adani’s case, it will link its Carmichael coal mine to our bulk loading facility at the port of Abbot Point from where it will be shipped to Adani’s power stations in India.
“While some may be looking for ways to leave regional Queensland, we are looking to the future. We are looking to ensure regional Queensland remains a great place to live, work and to raise a family.
To achieve that, Adani is delivering on its promise to address power poverty for hundreds of millions in India and unacceptably high unemployment in regional Queensland.
“To those activists who sit in creature comfort and criticise us, I ask a simple question – what are you doing for those people?”
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