<p>The Environmental Impact Assessment Authority, Karnataka, on Friday issued environmental clearance certificate for the construction of the eight-lane peripheral ring road (PRR) from Tumakuru Road to Hosur Road by Bangalore Development Authority (BDA).<br /><br /></p>.<p>The BDA had submitted a proposal seeking environmental clearance for the 65-km PRR under phase-1. The Authority, after deliberations in four meetings, recommended for environmental clearance. <br /><br />Madan Gopal, Additional Chief Secretary, Forest, Environment and Ecology, told Deccan Herald that the project had secured the green clearance. Since the Authority includes members from the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, the latter too has cleared the project.<br /><br />The officials of Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) said that PRR was a state-level road project and hence MoEF clearance was not required.<br /><br />The project will now have to be vetted by the Urban Development Department (UDD).<br />The BDA Commissioner T Sham Bhatt said that this was first step forward after a long wait.<br /><br />JICA funding awaited<br /><br />After final clearance from UDD is obtained, copies of clearance certificates will be sent to the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for approval and funding. <br /><br />The BDA was unable to get environment clearance for the project earlier because of three reasons: the consultant hired by BDA, Ramki, neither had the technical accreditation nor the qualification to take up the project.<br /><br />Secondly, the Authority had found discrepancies in the details furnished by the BDA on environmental parameters. Also, the PRR will cut across waterbodies, disturbing the ecosystem.<br /><br />The BDA officials opined that the environmental clearance had been given with conditions.<br />“We changed the consultants and hired Eco-Services Consultants from Chennai for the project. We have also assured the Authority of proper air and dust quality monitoring during and post construction. We have assured them that lakes within a periphery of two kilometre will also be protected,” the officials said. <br /><br />Work on the Rs 5,800 crore project may not start before February 2015. As much as 1,910 acres of land would be acquired for the proposed PRR, which connects Nice Road via Doddaballapur Road, Ballari Road, Old Madras Road and Sarjapur Road.<br /><br />The BDA has said that the landlosers would be paid compensation as per the property guidance value.</p>
<p>The Environmental Impact Assessment Authority, Karnataka, on Friday issued environmental clearance certificate for the construction of the eight-lane peripheral ring road (PRR) from Tumakuru Road to Hosur Road by Bangalore Development Authority (BDA).<br /><br /></p>.<p>The BDA had submitted a proposal seeking environmental clearance for the 65-km PRR under phase-1. The Authority, after deliberations in four meetings, recommended for environmental clearance. <br /><br />Madan Gopal, Additional Chief Secretary, Forest, Environment and Ecology, told Deccan Herald that the project had secured the green clearance. Since the Authority includes members from the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, the latter too has cleared the project.<br /><br />The officials of Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) said that PRR was a state-level road project and hence MoEF clearance was not required.<br /><br />The project will now have to be vetted by the Urban Development Department (UDD).<br />The BDA Commissioner T Sham Bhatt said that this was first step forward after a long wait.<br /><br />JICA funding awaited<br /><br />After final clearance from UDD is obtained, copies of clearance certificates will be sent to the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for approval and funding. <br /><br />The BDA was unable to get environment clearance for the project earlier because of three reasons: the consultant hired by BDA, Ramki, neither had the technical accreditation nor the qualification to take up the project.<br /><br />Secondly, the Authority had found discrepancies in the details furnished by the BDA on environmental parameters. Also, the PRR will cut across waterbodies, disturbing the ecosystem.<br /><br />The BDA officials opined that the environmental clearance had been given with conditions.<br />“We changed the consultants and hired Eco-Services Consultants from Chennai for the project. We have also assured the Authority of proper air and dust quality monitoring during and post construction. We have assured them that lakes within a periphery of two kilometre will also be protected,” the officials said. <br /><br />Work on the Rs 5,800 crore project may not start before February 2015. As much as 1,910 acres of land would be acquired for the proposed PRR, which connects Nice Road via Doddaballapur Road, Ballari Road, Old Madras Road and Sarjapur Road.<br /><br />The BDA has said that the landlosers would be paid compensation as per the property guidance value.</p>
