Expert appraisal committee finds EIA study incomplete

Thiruvananthapuram: The state expert appraisal committee (SEAC), while considering the application for environmental clearance (EC) for the proposed Outer Ring Road under the Capital Region Development Project-II (CRDP-II), has found the environmental impact assessment (EIA) study is incomplete.
The committee directed the project component to complete the study by addressing all the aspects in the approved terms of reference (TOR). It has also sought details regarding the feasibility of the proposal to extract building stones from Mookkunnimala as it is near the defence installation and the area is an assigned land.
The SEAC made this observation in the presentation held in the latest meeting. As per the minutes of the meeting, the committee sought clarification on various aspects of the EIA study and environment management plan (EMP) proposal.
The response to the clarifications sought by the committee was not satisfactory. It was found that the EIA study has not covered all the aspects proposed in the approved TOR, according to the minutes of the meeting.
The committee, however, observed that the conceptual plan of the project, in principle, will enable the improvement of the adjacent urban environment provided the adverse impacts of the proposed project anticipated are mitigated appropriately.
The proponent has been asked to provide details or plan of the stormwater drainage and its interconnection with the natural drain of the locality along with predicted impacts and mitigation measures. Detailed plan proposed for mitigation of air pollution and enhanced noise levels, including details of avenue plants and vegetation, also needs to be submitted.
The project proponent also needs to assess the impact of the drainage diversion proposed in the project and its management measures and has to provide a detailed plan for the management of construction and demolition waste and excess cut waste.
Details of the environmentally sensitive areas such as wetlands, sacred groves, natural regions with rare and endemic species, etc. along and adjacent to the project area also need to be furnished and the proponent has to assess the impacts and mitigation measures.
The impact on rock-cut caves, temples, churches, mosques and other locally important structures etc., if any, and management measures has also been sought by SEAC. The committee also decided to forward the complaints received from the public to the proponent for getting remarks and incorporating it in the mitigation and redressal plan.
As part of outer area growth corridor, the government proposes to develop the outer ring road of 77.7km. It is planned in two stretches comprising a northern ring (29.8km) and a southern ring (47.973km).
As per the application submitted for EC, special officer of CRDP informed the member secretary (EAC), MoEF, and CC had noted that CRDP had conducted the EIA study and prepared the final EIA report based on the approved TOR from state environment impact assessment authority.