Kaela Bamberger, Friends of the Earth US, kbamberger@foe.org
Cindy Carr, Sierra Club, cindy.carr@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C.-- This Thursday, the Sierra Club, Friends of the Earth US, Center for Financial Accountability, the Union of the Displaced People in Sasan, and more will host a webinar to discuss the US Export-Import Bank’s role in the massive coal ash flood from the Sasan coal-fired power plant and mine last spring that killed six people, including three children. Last April’s coal ash flash flood destroyed six miles of crops and homes, polluted downstream rivers and fields, and impacted hundreds of people in three nearby villages, namely Haraahawa, Siddi Khurd and Siddi Kala in Madhya Pradesh. The breach was reportedly due to the negligence of the plant and just $70 USD compensation has been promised to the villagers. You can watch a video of the flood and statements about the situation over the past year here.
Event Title: What World Leaders Can Learn from India and Global Grassroots Calls for Climate Action: Financing Disaster in India: US Export-Import Bank & Coal Finance Overseas
When: Thursday, April 22, 2021 at 9:30am PST/ 12:30pm EST/ 10pm IST
Where: Register at sc.org/India
Who: Speakers include:
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Sandeep Singh, Union of the Displaced People, Sasan
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Anuradha Munshi, Center for Financial Accountability
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Shripad Dharmadhikary, Manthan Adhyayan Kendra
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Maureen Nandini Mitra, Earth Island Journal
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Neil Tangri, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA)
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Somnath Mukherji, Association for india's Development (AID)
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Kate DeAngelis, Friends of the Earth US
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Neha Mathew-Shah,Sierra Club
Why: The Sasan Ultra Mega Coal Power Project is one of the world’s largest integrated power generation and coal mine projects. The US Export-Import Bank (EXIM) originally financed this plant in 2010 with more than $900 million in US taxpayer money and has taken little to no action in responding to the numerous complaints around corruption, human rights, and labor violations, as well as at least 37 deaths, over the past decade. Join us to learn about the story of Sasan and hold EXIM accountable. We will also be raising this as an important point of demanding action from world leaders -- specifically to end fossil fuel finance overseas.
The webinar will feature experts from the ground in India and the voices of Indian diaspora demanding the US hold EXIM equally responsible for its role in the Sasan coal ash disaster inaction and require the necessary remediation and compensation. The webinar is also an official side event for the Climate Leaders Summit and U.S. Climate Action Week.
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Watch a video of the coal ash flood here.
Register for the webinar here.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.