Pune, Dec 15 (IANS) Lavasa Corporation chairman Ajit Gulabchand Wednesday said he was disappointed at the environment ministry’s decision to extend the ‘stop work’ order issued for the company’s Lake City project near Pune for violating green laws.
‘I am saddened by the interim order of the environment ministry. They have given this order on the basis of exactly what the NGOs are saying. The order is based on generalities without any specific reason given,’ Gulabchand told reporters on the sidelines of an event here.
The environment and forests ministry late Wednesday extended the ‘stay order’ till Dec 22, asking Lavasa Coproration to submit additional documents.
The ministry’s final decision is expected by Dec 31.
‘So much is the influence of NGOs that their remarks have been quoted ad verbatim in the order,’ Gulabchand added.
He said the project did not violate any environmental laws and prior permission was sought from the Maharashtra government under the Hill Station Act.
‘We have not received permission from the central government yet. We are taking it for our future constructions,’ he said.
The environment ministry Nov 25 slapped a show-cause notice on the Lavasa Corporation because it had allegedly failed to secure necessary environmental clearances before starting work on its 5,000-plus hectare Lake City project coming up in Mulshi sub-district of Pune district, around 200 km from Mumbai.
Ordering an interim stay on the environment ministry’s order, the Bombay High Court Dec 7 asked the ministry to hear Hindustan Construction Company’s subsidiary Lavasa Corporation Ltd’s views on the matter.
