Greenpeace activists protest against TATA-promoted port at Dhamra.

Mumbai, July 17 (UNI) Global environment watchdog, Greenpeace International activists intensifed their protest against the TATA group today for failing to stall the Dhamra port project as ''it will endanger ecological habitat''.

In the absence of evidence that the TATA's will honour their commitment towards protecting their habitat, the 'olive ridley sea turtles', Greenpeace activists dressed as turtles carried a huge metal sign that read 'TATA-turtle Hazard' to Bombay House, the headquarters of the TATA Group.

A Greenpeace commissioned bio-diversity assessment released in June has recorded the carcasses of more than 2,000 dead turtles on and around the port site, indicating the presence of turtles in the off shore waters near the port, though the area is not a nesting site. The study has also discovered rare species on the port site itself.

Sanjiv Gopal, Oceans Campaigner with Greenpeace said, ''Ratan Tata and B Muthuraman had both promised that the group would never harm the turtles or the environment and that they would consider the project if there was evidence of the ecological significance of the area.

This evidence now exists. The TATA's must keep their promise and ''Walk the Talk'' by withdrawing from the Dhamra project,'' he argued.

Earlier, the activists had undertaken similar protests at the Tata-AIG and the Tata promoted Taj group of hotels to highlight the plight of the fragile ecosystem at Dhamra, where the controversial port is being built.

G Ananthapadmanabhan, Executive Director of Green Peace India said, ''The evidence that the TATA's sought is on the table. If TATA's want to maintain their reputation for being sensitive to social and environmental concerns - a reputation built by stalwarts like JRD Tata - they have no choice but to withdraw from this ecologically disasterous project. Only this can keep the Tata legacy intact.'' UNI