New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal has revoked its stay on the expansion plans of Delhi University- affiliated Hindu College and construction of a new building for Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies.
The tribunal's order came after Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) informed the bench that both these projects do not fall within the area of industrial clusters and the Environment Clearance (EC) has been granted strictly in accordance with the laws.
Dismissing the petition, a bench headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar held that the petitioner has failed to demonstrate that any environmental hazard is likely to result from these projects.
During the hearing, the counsel for the Hindu College told the tribunal that they have set up sewage treatment plants and the entire waste water from the existing college as well as the new block that is under construction would be recycled and the college would have zero discharge from the premises.
"Keeping in view the stand taken by the Ministry of Environment and Forests as well as DPCC/State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), we see no reason to interfere in the grant of EC and carrying of these projects by the project proponent... Resultantly, we find no merit in this application.. And the same are dismissed," the bench said.
The bench also directed that DPCC and SEIAA shall ensure that the conditions imposed in the orders of consent and the orders granting Environmental Clearance are strictly adhered to and the projects are not permitted to operate till the conditions are fully and entirely complied with. The bench was hearing a plea filed through advocate
Gaurav Bansal seeking cancellation of the Environment Clearance granted by SEIAA for the construction of building complex for Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies at Rohini and for expansion of Hindu College at Sudhir Bose Marg, University Enclave, here.
The petition had claimed that both sites fell within the Najafgarh drain basin, a critically polluted area where the Union Environment Ministry has banned grant of fresh EC.
On June 4, the Tribunal had stayed the expansion plans of Hindu College and construction of a new building of Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, questioning environment clearances (ECs) granted to the two projects.
The NGT had also issued a show cause notice to SEIAA as to why action cannot be initiated for granting the clearances despite an earlier ban.
