The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change Friday opposed in the Delhi High Court a plea seeking to scrap a proposal for redevelopment of central government housing projects in south Delhi, saying the approval was given after “judicious application of mind dealing with all relevant and material aspects of the projects”. “The Environment Clearance (EC) for the projects in question has been accorded by Ministry in accordance with law, and Ministry has followed the due procedure for appraisal of the projects as prescribed under the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification, 2006.,” the ministry told a bench headed by Chief Justice Rajendra Menon. The information was revealed through an affidavit filed by the ministry, through its counsel Ripu Daman Bhardwaj, who further said, “The EC is granted to a project/activity in accordance with the provisions of laws in vogue, after detailed deliberation of EIA/ Environmental Management Plan (EMP) report by Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC).” The affidavit said that “all projects are examined and considered by the EAC, after judicious application of mind, dealing with all relevant and material aspects of the projects”. It said that the project proponent is obligated to comply with the specific and general condition in order to avoid any adverse action which may be taken by the authorities concerned, in accordance with the relevant laws in force. The ministry was responding to a PIL by Dr Kaushal Kant Mishra, a senior orthopaedic surgeon. Stating that separate ECs for each area were granted between November last year and June this year, the PIL has sought setting aside of the terms of reference (ToR) and ECs granted to the project by the environment ministry. The HC had stayed the construction and said authorities concerned shall ensure that no redevelopment is permitted in the area in question, till further consideration of this matter.
