New Delhi: Lavasa's multi-crore hill city
project near Pune today overcame the green hurdle with Union
Environment Ministry granting clearance for its first phase
subject to "strict compliance" of certain terms and
conditions.
"The Ministry, hereby, accords environmental clearance
for the project as per provisions of Environmental Impact
Assessment Notification, 2006 and its subsequent amendments,
subject to strict compliance of terms and conditions," a
government order said.
The Ministry's decision came after the Maharashtra
government filed a case against the promoters of Lavasa Hill
City for alleged violations of the Environment Protection Act
(EPA).
Filing of the case under the EPA was one of the key
pre-conditions of the Environment Ministry for granting
clearance to the first phase of the project.
"We have now got environment clearance from the Ministry
of Environment and Forests and the stakeholders will be happy
to hear this," a relieved Ajit Gulabchand, Chairman, Lavasa
Corporation said.
He said the decision would also reassure hundreds of
villagers and workers engaged in the construction of the hill
city project.
The ministry had laid down five pre-conditions, as
suggested by the Expert Appraisal Committee, for Lavasa to
comply with before grant of environment clearance.
These conditions include demarcation of land usage which
includes open spaces, diverting five per cent of its expenses
for corporate social responsibility, creation of an
environment restoration fund, which in turn will be monitored
by a verification and monitoring committee and a submission by
the company that violations would not be repeated.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, November 09, 2011, 18:29