Mumbai: Dark clouds seem to be once again
looming large over Hindustan Construction Company`s ambitious
Lavasa Lake City project, as the Maharashtra Government plans
to file an environmental violation case against the company in
Pune court on Tuesday.
"We are preparing documents to file a case against
Lavasa Corporation for violating Environment (Protection) Act
1986. Most probably, we will file a case against the company
tomorrow," State Environment Minister Sanjay Devtale said to a news aegncy
here on Monday.
"We will send a detailed report to the Environment
Ministry after filing a case against the company (Lavasa
Corporation)," he said.
On June 10, the Union Environment Ministry had asked
the Maharashtra Government to take necessary action against
the Lavasa Corporation, as a part of its construction has been
undertaken without a green nod.
In a letter to the Maharashtra Government, the Union
Ministry said that during an appraisal of request for green
clearance for the development of 2,000 hectares Hill
Station Township "it was found that constructions/developments
in 681 hectare area was in progress without obtaining prior
environmental clearance."
Noting that it had earlier issued show-cause notices on
November 25 last year and "final directions" on January 17
this year, the Ministry said the constructions/developments in
the 681 hectare area "are violations" of Environment
(Protection) Act 1986.
The action comes even as the Environment Ministry
prepares to make known its decision on the Phase-I of the
controversial project on June 15, when the matter comes up in
the Bombay High Court.
PTI
