'AIIMS kept construction on even after green clearance expired'

NEW DELHI: The State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) has asked the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to make “detailed submissions” regarding violation of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) notification, as the premier institute has applied for fresh environment clearance for the project only now and kept construction work on for its Masjid Moth campus even though the green clearance granted previously expired in 2019 itself.

As per the SEAC, previously the project was granted environment clearance (EC) by the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), which is the panel that gives the final green nod, in August 2012 while the validity of the permission expired in August 2019.

“Due to certain modifications in the project including the built-up area and the number of beds being reduced from 1000 to 825, amendment in EC is being proposed by AIIMS only now. It has completed most of the construction despite the validity of the EC having expired while only around 11,850 sqm is yet to be completed,” the SEAC said.

The panel also noted that even in the fresh proposal being examined now, the institute has not provided details such as break-up of total built-up area, nature and type of construction. “The present proposal prepared by the consultant is not sufficient to appraise the project…the project proponent is liable to conduct damage assessment; prepare remediation plan and Natural Community Augmentation Plan for the construction commenced beyond the permissible limits as per the EC granted in 2012,” it said.

 The panel has also asked the institute to submit a categorical statement clarifying the project cost and turnover attributable to blocks constructed beyond the proposal of previous EC.  “The project proponent is also required to clarify the maximum height of the buildings; submit the detailed comparative statement for water/wastewater, STP, ETP capacities with respect to previous EC,’ the minutes stated. Masjid Moth campus construction is part of the larger redevelopment plan of the AIIMS campus including the East Ansari Nagar campus for which green nod was granted earlier this month.