Status quo on Downtown project

Thiruvananthapuram: Two years after Technopark signed an agreement with Taurus Investment Holdings (TIH) to set up Taurus Downtown, the project has stumbled upon legal hurdles following Supreme Court order to maintain status quo pertaining to alleged reclamation and filling up of wetland.
Taurus Downtown is set up by a venture between TIH and Embassy Property Development Holdings. Taurus Downtown is envisaged to create a world-class business infrastructure in Technopark. On completion, Taurus Downtown is expected to generate about 35,000 direct and 75,000 indirect employment.
Supreme Court directed status quo based on petition filed by environmentalist Thomas Lawrence. He highlighted that reclamation and destruction of wetlands were in violation of Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act, 2008, as well as Central Wetlands Conservation and Management Rules, 2017, and directions of Supreme Court in M K Balakrishna case.
The petition pointed out that Technopark had obtained a permission to convert a 19.75-acre wetland for their expansion activities from Government of Kerala on ostensible reason of “public purpose” of the project. Lawrence said this permission could not have been granted in light of a specific and categorical provision prohibiting conversion of wetlands under Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act, 2008.
The bench of Supreme Court comprising Justice R F Nariman, Justice Navin Sinha and Justice B R Gavai issued the order of status quo while admitting the appeal filed by environmentalist Lawrence who was represented by senior advocate Anitha Shenoy.
Lawrence had initially approached National Green Tribunal in 2018 seeking orders to stop the mass destruction of the Veli-Akkulam Wetland Complex and with a direction to restore and preserve the same. National Green Tribunal in October 2018 had directed district collector to consider the issue and take appropriate action. In April 2019, despite huge public opposition and concerns regarding flooding of the area due to the reclamation of these wetlands, as well as similar concerns of government officials including agricultural officer, Attipra ward council, as well as municipal corporation, no action was taken.
This decision was challenged by Lawrence before NGT stating that the same was not in accordance with law as directed by the tribunal in October 2018. However, the tribunal did not consider any of the critical issues raised in the petition and closed the proceedings leaving no other option but to challenge the same in the Supreme Court.