Saturday, November 27, 2010

Lavasa `shocked\' at MoEF\'s stop work notice



NEW DELHI: Lavasa Corporation on Saturday issued a clarification claiming it was \"shocked at the receipt of a stop work notice from the Union environment ministry on November 26, 2010\".



It claimed that it has already communicated with Maharashtra on the issues.



Lavasa Corporation has claimed in its letter to the state government, that it did not require an environmental clearance from the Centre under the Environment Protection Act (EPA) as had been alleged in the complaint. that the environment ministry took cognizance of.The environment ministry, which sent a show-cause notice on Friday after reviewing the reply by Lavasa and reports of the state government, has concluded that the luxury housing complex in Pune district is in violation of the EPA and requires clearance from the Centre.



The show-cause notice referred to the report of the district collector that mentioned that construction had been undertaken on the site on plots more than 1,000 m above sea-level, an explicit violation of the rules laid down in the clearance given by the state government. However, the company has claimed it had built only a gate above the permitted height.



The Centre said has pointed out the approved plans of the Rs 2,786-crore project had been changed during the first phase of construction that began in 2004.



The firm had argued that it had gone by the book and tried to project itself as environmentally and socially sensitive by hiring 444 local villagers for the project and constructing 53 houses for locals and carrying out various welfare activities.



The company has now been asked by the environment ministry to file a reply within a fortnight, and it could get another week of reprieve if the company wants to present its defence in person.




News From: http://www.7StarNews.com

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