Lavasa questions green ministry

Nov 30, 2010 |

Correspondent

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Mumbai/Delhi, Nov. 29: Lavasa Corporation, which has come under the scrutiny of the Union environment ministry last week, has accused the environment minister of acting with a ‘malafide intent’ and had ‘ulterior motives’ in stopping the ongoing construction at the hills tation.

In a 35-page response to the environment ministry’s stop work order, which was also put up on the company’s website, the construction company has alleged that the show cause notice sent by the ministry on Friday “appears to be to stall the initial public offer of Lavasa,” for which they had got Sebi’s nod on November 16. The reply said that the minister was acting under political pressure from activists such as Ms. Medha Patkar.

Meanwhile, the environment ministry is tight-lipped on the notice and the minister, Mr Jairam Ramesh, could not be reached for comments.

According to agency reports, the environment ministry has stated that there are loopholes in Lavasa Corporation’s reply to its notice for alleged violation of norms in its project.

“There are some loopholes in Lavasa Corporation’s reply,” the agencies also quoted Mr Ramesh as saying.

The ministry “is studying it further and a response will be given within the stipulated time,” it said.

Though the agency said that no time line was given for the reply, souces say that the reply would be given in 15 days. The past few months have seen the environment ministry taking an increasingly active role and stopping big ticket projects that violate environmental norms.

In the reply sent to the environment ministry, Lavasa has claimed that the minister acted without giving a due hearing to Lavasa. The company has also claimed that the ministry doesn’t have jurisdiction in the case as the first phase of the hill station project of 2000 acres is not within its purview.

In the response, Lavasa has also quoted the case of the Sahara group’s Ambi Valley Project which was also a hill station project for which the environment ministry said they did not need their clearance.

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