The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday asked project proponent Mantri Techzone to file a fresh appeal against the cancellation of environmental clearance (EC), pertaining to construction around water bodies, that was granted earlier.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Adarsh Kumar Goel upheld cancellation of the EC by the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) and has directed the project proponent to file a fresh appeal within four weeks.
The directions came while the green panel was hearing an appeal moved by Mantri Techzone, challenging the SEIAA’s decision of revoking the EC. SEIAA had contended that the EC was revoked as the project proponent did not adhere to the initial plan based on which the clearance had been granted.
Earlier, the tribunal had imposed heavy fines on the project proponent for not filing compliance reports pertaining to the project.
In a detailed judgment passed by the green panel in May 2016, the NGT had directed SEIAA, Karnataka to issue an amended order granting EC, after incorporating the conditions stated by the tribunal.
Additionally, detailed orders had been passed pertaining to the buffer zone to be maintained around all projects, around the water bodies, including the Bellandur, Agara and other lakes and wetlands, in the city.
“The distances in respect of buffer zone specified shall be made applicable to all the projects and all authorities concerned are directed to incorporate such conditions in the projects to whom EC and other permissions are now granted not only around Bellandur lake, rajakaluves, Agara lake, but also other lakes and wetlands in the city” the green panel had said.
Sridhar Pabbisetty, CEO, Namma Bengaluru Foundation said, “SEIAA has done the right thing by revoking the EC for Manti TechZone, as they did not comply with NGT’s buffer zone order.”