Will challenge clearance to Neutrino project: activists

Environmentalists and locals on Tuesday scoffed at the Environment Clearance accorded to the India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) to set up a lab in Theni district, declaring that they would challenge the nod in the National Green Tribunal.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests on Monday gave its green signal for setting up the lab  - the first of its kind in India that would study atmospheric neutrinos produced by cosmic rays in a 1,200m deep cave under a mountain  - in the forests near Bodinayakkanur, 525 km from here.

The activists say the clearance was "illegal" since the ministry has called it a Category 'B' project, for which Environmental Impact Assessment is not necessary, despite the Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal cancelling the previous nod and asking the INO to apply for fresh clearance under.

Poovulagin Nanbargal, an NGO that filed the petition before the NGT, said it will seek legal recourse against the clearance, calling the nod "illegal".

"The NGT quashed the environmental clearance last year saying the project should be categorised under Category 'A' and not 'B' as it has been done by the government. No public hearing of the project was conducted, but still they have got the clearance," G Sundararajan, convenor of the NGO, told DH.

"We will challenge the environment clearance in the NGT's principal bench in New Delhi. If that does not happen for some reason, we will certainly approach the high court or Supreme Court soon,"  he said.

Since the project involves tunnelling and excavation of six lakh cubic metres of Charnockite rock from the mountain, environmentalists and villagers feel it would have a cascading effect on various natural resources.

Another green activist Nityanand Jayaraman said it was unfortunate that a project that claims it would result in the advancement of science is bypassing the most fundamental principle of science, which is openness.

"It is extremely irresponsible on the part of the government to grant clearance without conducting a public hearing on the project. But this government is very consistent in the way it has been carrying out things like this," Jayaraman said.

However, the INO has said it has followed all procedures before applying for clearance.

The NGT wanted the project to be classified as Category 'A' since the location falls within 5 km of the Madhikettan Shola Natural Park in Kerala and from the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border.

If a project is classified as 'Category A', a number of processes should be followed before granting the clearance, the environmentalists said.

Villagers who stay close to the proposed site have also upped the ante saying they will soon announce their protest plans.