A hoarding in Kolkata put up by Greenpeace, which was later taken down under pressure from the Congress.
On Earth Day, April 22, Greenpeace installed 12 billboards in Kolkata, with the underlying message that if our leaders do not act now to protect India's marine and coastal environment, they will regret their indecision in the future. The hoardings featured digitally altered photographs of Dr. Manmohan Singh in the year 2020 with the message "I'm sorry, I could have saved India's coast. I didn't." Chief Minister of Orissa Naveen Patnaik and Minister of Environment and Forest Jairam Ramesh were also pictured in a similar fashion, with Ramesh's message saying that he was not allowed to save India's coast - a reference to the pressure he is under from industry and members of his own party to go slow on green protection measures.
"These billboards are reminders to our politicians - across all parties - that they need to act now to protect our coastal and marine ecosystems. Rather than suppressing free speech and demanding that they be removed, our political leaders need to tell the nation what they are doing to protect our coastal environment, and to ensure that mistakes such as the Dhamra port project in Orissa are never repeated", said Ashish Fernandes, Oceans Campaigner for Greenpeace India.
The TATA-L&T owned Dhamra port in Orissa is now nearing completion despite evidence of a violation (1) of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 and other irregularities. The port which will be one of India's largest, is located just a few kilometres from the Bhitarkanika and Gahirmatha Protected Areas and has been a source of controversy ever since it was first proposed in the 1990s.
Citing recent oil spills involving the MV Malavika at the Gopalpur port in Orissa, which has affected the Rushikulya turtle nesting beach, and a 2009 oil spill from the MV Black Rose off Paradip, Fernandes said "This is exactly why ports close to ecologically critical areas are a bad idea. Dhamra is going to cater to much larger vessels - a spill here could have devastating long-term consequences on both Bhitarkanika and Gahirmatha. Greenpeace is demanding that there should be no new ports or expansion of existing ports within 25 km. of any turtle mass nesting beach."
According to Planning Commission documents, over 300 new ports are planned along the Indian coast, many in ecologically critical areas. Orissa itself plans to build over 10 new ports, many of which will be adjacent to turtle mass nesting areas.
Contact information
1. Ashish Fernandes, Oceans Campaigner, Greenpeace India, +91 99801 99380 
2. Hozefa Merchant, Media Officer, Greenpeace India +91 98195 92410 
3. Shachi Chaturvedi, Media Officer, Greenpeace India, +91 9818750007 
Notes to Editor
Notes to Editor:
1. Documents obtained under the Right to Information Act show that the entire Dhamra port is being built on Protected Forest land, without permission from the Centre under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980. The Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Orissa state government have known about this violation for several years now, but have not taken any action. An application has been filed by Bittu Sahgal and others in the Supreme Court of India asking that the project be halted on these grounds. The matter is currently being heard by the Central Empowered Committee of the Supreme Court and a decision is awaited.
Hoardings have been installed at these locations in Kolkata
1) Alipore, Opp National library facing Jindal House
2) AJC Bose Road, Nr Circus Avenue Facing Park Circus
3) Dhakuria Bridge, facing Jadavpur
4) Anwar Shah Rd. Connector facing Bypass
5) Sai Complex FTF City to Airport
6) Salt Lake, at City Center opposite Apollo Clinic
7) Santoshpur Flyover, facing Jadavpur
8) Howrah Station (Double sided)
9) Salt Lake at Karunamoyee Jn
10) On VIP Road at Lake Town Jn. Facing Ultadanga – 2nd Shelter
11) Ganguly Bagan
12) Salt Lake Tank no. 4