Mumbai:
The Civil Aviation Minister, Praful Patel, has slammed the Environment Ministry over the delays in clearances for the Navi Mumbai airport, scheduled to operate with basic facilities in 2013.
In an exclusive interview to NDTV's Shweta Rajpal Kohli, Patel effectively takes on his cabinet colleague, Jairam Ramesh, saying, "We can't be overly obsessive about environmental issues. We can't give priority to 50-100 acres of degradation over a large infrastructure project."
Patel adds that, "I am equally concerned and passionate about environment...(but) the Mumbai airport at a stage when it cannot handle more traffic."
The new airport, to be built over 2000 hectares, has been planned near Panvel, about 30 kilometres away from Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport.
Sources in the Environment Ministry say there are concerns that the project will destroy 400 acres of forests, which protect the coastline, and serve as hatching grounds for fish. Two rivers will also allegedly be diverted for the airport's current design.
The Maharashtra government allegedly submitted a report on the environmental impact of the airport barely a week ago, on June 24. Jairam Ramesh's ministry, however, says some of the information required has allegedly not been included in the report, and the Environment Ministry has asked the state to provide these details.
Sources in the Environment Ministry stress that Ramesh wants all stakeholders including local communities, environmentalists and aviation ministry officials to find a solution which protects the environment.
Watch the full interview
In an exclusive interview to NDTV's Shweta Rajpal Kohli, Patel effectively takes on his cabinet colleague, Jairam Ramesh, saying, "We can't be overly obsessive about environmental issues. We can't give priority to 50-100 acres of degradation over a large infrastructure project."
Patel adds that, "I am equally concerned and passionate about environment...(but) the Mumbai airport at a stage when it cannot handle more traffic."
The new airport, to be built over 2000 hectares, has been planned near Panvel, about 30 kilometres away from Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport.
Sources in the Environment Ministry say there are concerns that the project will destroy 400 acres of forests, which protect the coastline, and serve as hatching grounds for fish. Two rivers will also allegedly be diverted for the airport's current design.
The Maharashtra government allegedly submitted a report on the environmental impact of the airport barely a week ago, on June 24. Jairam Ramesh's ministry, however, says some of the information required has allegedly not been included in the report, and the Environment Ministry has asked the state to provide these details.
Sources in the Environment Ministry stress that Ramesh wants all stakeholders including local communities, environmentalists and aviation ministry officials to find a solution which protects the environment.
Watch the full interview
