MoEF directs action against Lavasa Corp

The MOEF letter comes just 10 days after its expert appraisal committee gave a conditional nod to the 2,000-hectare phase I of the project. The minutes of the meeting,released recently,state that considering that the matter is still pending before the Bombay High court,the project will be given conditional nod provided that it meets some of the stringent norms laid out by the committee. These include drawing up a disaster management plan,submission of a policy towards Corporate Environment Responsibility (CER) and a policy for economic betterment of the nearby villages. It also lays down that five per cent of the total cost of the project shall be earmarked towards corporate social responsibility. A high-level independent verification and monitoring committee will be constituted to “examine,verify and monitor at various stages of the project for compliance of the conditions.”

State environment secretary Valsa Nair-Singh said the department has not yet been informed about the conditional nod to the project. However,it has received the June 10th MOEF letter asking them to take action against Lavasa under the EPA.

Acting on complaint from the locals affected by the project,the MOEF had last year issued showcause notices to Lavasa Corporation,following which the company had filed a writ petition before the Bombay High court.