JOIN USLavasa asked to stop all work
The Jairam Ramesh-led green ministry will hear the real estate company once again on December 22 and a decision will be taken before December 31. The ministry heard Lavasa and National Alliance for People’s Movement (NAPM) that levelled the charges of flouting green rules last week following an instruction from the Bombay High Court.
Reacting sharply, Lavasa said it was anguished because of the ministry’s failure to come out with “measurable and objective norms that guide developmental activities”.
The company also said that the ministry issued these instructions under pressure from political activists like NAPM that includes Medha Patkar subverting the “basic tenancy of natural justice.”
The strongly-worded statement from Lavasa – known to be backed by Maharashtra strongman and NCP supermo Sharad Pawar – may be an indication of another ensuing high-profile battle within the Manmohan Singh Cabinet, which witnessed a similar fight between Ramesh and Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel in the not-so-distant past.
The green ministry issued a show-cause notice to the Lavasa Lake City project on November 26 asking them to stop all construction at the site.
The real estate firm went to Bombay High Court and obtained a stay. The court, however, instructed the ministry to hear out Lavasa, which is pitching the township as India’s first planned hill city with 60 kilometers of the lake front.
As per the 2004 approval, Lavasa Lake City was to be built over an area of 2,000 hectares in Mulshi and Velhe taluka of Maharashtra. The city’s maximum altitude was to be restricted between 640-900 mt for which approval from the state government was needed.
Case reopened
However, the ministry reopened the case in June 2010 following complaints on violations of green norms, including construction of houses at more than 1,000 mt elevation for which permission from the Union Environment Ministry is mandatory.
Lavasa officials have informed the ministry that the height of the entrance gate and approach road are over 1,000 metres. They also argued that stopping work will put the livelihood of 1,000 people in jeopardy and the future of investment and bank loans will be at stake. While the company claims all green clearances are in place, NAPM has a different take.
Lavasa writ petition is scheduled for hearing in Bombay High Court on December 16.