Pune:
The Bombay High Court on Thursday pulled up the Environment Ministry for the quality of its 'stop work' order issued to Lavasa Corp. Ltd.
The court said that the ministry's order is more like an address on a public platform. Environment Ministry's lawyer told the court that Lavasa was supposed to beautify the environment, but it looks more like a mine. Lavasa countered the ministry saying there's no data or reports to support air, noise and water pollution.
The 'stop work' order will continue till Tuesday, which is when the next hearing is, the court said.
Citing "lack of clarity" on the details submitted, the Environment Ministry had on Tuesday refused to lift its stay on construction of Lavasa hill-city project in Maharashtra and announced that a final decision will be taken in the case by the month-end after hearing the company again.
The Ministry asked Lavasa to represent its case with full details on December 22 before a final view can be taken on the controversial Rs 3000 crore project.
In an order issued on Tuesday, the Ministry said that in view of "lack of clarity" on the details submitted by the Lavasa Corporation and "large-scale environmental degradation" in the region, no activities would be allowed at the site till a final decision is taken.
"...Ministry is of the considered opinion that the directions issued under Section 5 of the Environment
(Protection) Act, 1986 to Lavasa Corporation Ltd on November 25 to stop project activities going on at the site should continue till the final analysis is undertaken...," the order said. The Ministry said "an order could be expected on or before December 31".
Responding to the interim order, Lavasa said, "it appears the MOEF has not taken note and cognizance of the facts" stated by the company during the hearing on December 9 and 10. It also claimed that all concerns raised by the ministry during hearing have been addressed.
The ministry's interim order came just two days ahead of the hearing of the case at the Bombay High Court which had asked the Ministry to decide by December 16 whether construction at the site should be allowed.
The court order was in the wake of the Lavasa petition alleging that the Environment Ministry has issued a show-cause notice to it in haste and "under pressure" from environmentalists such as Medha Patkar.
The ministry had issued show-cause notice to Hindustan Construction Company's unit Lavasa Corporation on November 25 asking it why the project should not be done away with for violation of various norms and saying that Lavasa should not undertake construction at the site till it files its reply to the ministry and a decision is taken on it.
Patkar, who has been opposing the project tooth and nail since its inception, had alleged that the "although Lavasa have made a case for continuation of the project due to expenditure on the project so far, yet if the work continues it would finally result in the 'point of no return' and become a fait accompli". (With PTI Inputs)
The court said that the ministry's order is more like an address on a public platform. Environment Ministry's lawyer told the court that Lavasa was supposed to beautify the environment, but it looks more like a mine. Lavasa countered the ministry saying there's no data or reports to support air, noise and water pollution.
The 'stop work' order will continue till Tuesday, which is when the next hearing is, the court said.
Citing "lack of clarity" on the details submitted, the Environment Ministry had on Tuesday refused to lift its stay on construction of Lavasa hill-city project in Maharashtra and announced that a final decision will be taken in the case by the month-end after hearing the company again.
The Ministry asked Lavasa to represent its case with full details on December 22 before a final view can be taken on the controversial Rs 3000 crore project.
In an order issued on Tuesday, the Ministry said that in view of "lack of clarity" on the details submitted by the Lavasa Corporation and "large-scale environmental degradation" in the region, no activities would be allowed at the site till a final decision is taken.
"...Ministry is of the considered opinion that the directions issued under Section 5 of the Environment
(Protection) Act, 1986 to Lavasa Corporation Ltd on November 25 to stop project activities going on at the site should continue till the final analysis is undertaken...," the order said. The Ministry said "an order could be expected on or before December 31".
Responding to the interim order, Lavasa said, "it appears the MOEF has not taken note and cognizance of the facts" stated by the company during the hearing on December 9 and 10. It also claimed that all concerns raised by the ministry during hearing have been addressed.
The ministry's interim order came just two days ahead of the hearing of the case at the Bombay High Court which had asked the Ministry to decide by December 16 whether construction at the site should be allowed.
The court order was in the wake of the Lavasa petition alleging that the Environment Ministry has issued a show-cause notice to it in haste and "under pressure" from environmentalists such as Medha Patkar.
The ministry had issued show-cause notice to Hindustan Construction Company's unit Lavasa Corporation on November 25 asking it why the project should not be done away with for violation of various norms and saying that Lavasa should not undertake construction at the site till it files its reply to the ministry and a decision is taken on it.
Patkar, who has been opposing the project tooth and nail since its inception, had alleged that the "although Lavasa have made a case for continuation of the project due to expenditure on the project so far, yet if the work continues it would finally result in the 'point of no return' and become a fait accompli". (With PTI Inputs)
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