HC stays MoEF's direction to Lavasa to stop construction

The High Court, which was hearing Lavasa's petition, directed the ministry to give the corporation a hearing on whether it could have stayed the construction at Lavasa without giving a prior hearing.

The MoEF will have to pass the order on this issue by December 16.

Lavasa Corporation's lawyer made a voluntary statement in the court that no construction will be carried out till December 16.

The High Court will hear the matter further on the same day.

The Court also directed the Ministry to give a hearing to the NGO National Alliance of People's Movement which had initially complained against the Lavasa project.

On November 25, the Ministry had issued a show-cause notice to Lavasa, demanding an explanation as to why it did not obtain clearances as per rules under Environment Protection Act, amended by notifications in 1994 and 2004.

It also asked the corporation, which is developing a hill station in Mulshi taluka of Pune district, to stop the ongoing construction.