New Delhi: An environmental panel has
cleared DDA`s mega residential complex at South Delhi`s posh
Vasant Kunj after the housing agency argued that the project
does not fall under the purview of environment norms.
"Earlier, we had put on hold the project as we felt
that it did not meet the environment norms and initiated
construction without our approval.
"But after DDA told us at a recent meeting that the
work had started much before the green norms were enforced, we
had to clear the project," State Environment Appraisal
Committee (SEAC) chairman C R Babu said.
He said the green committee was informed that the
work on the housing project had started before the Environment
Impact Assessment Notification of 2006 and "as such there was
no violation of regulation."
As per DDA, the plot area spread over 2,36,581 square
meters will have over 3,000 flats for higher, medium and lower
income groups. The total parking proposed is 3692 vehicles.
The DDA told the panel that water requirement of 1580
KLD will be met through DJB while on-site sewage treatment
plant will be constructed to treat sewage generation to be
emitted from the Rs 200-crore project being constructed the
for Commonwealth Games next year.
The SEAC has now recommended the project to the higher
body, State Environment Impact Assessment Authority for
environment clearance.
Meanwhile, the SEAC has also asked the DDA to ensure
that groundwater extraction from existing/proposed borewells
is done only with prior permission of a water regulatory body
and excess treated water should be pumped to the
adjacent Aravalli Biodiversity Park.
"We have also asked them to plant jamun, a drought-
tolerant species, in green belt and adopt energy conservation
building code," Babu added.
Bureau Report
