NGT notice on Assembly building at Gairsain

New Delhi, October 22

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) yesterday issued notices to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Uttarakhand government on a plea seeking stay on the construction of a new Legislative Assembly building at Gairsain in the state on the ground that the project lacks mandatory clearances.

A Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar sought the response of the Union ministry and the state government within two weeks on the plea contending that the project at Gairsain in Chamoli district had been started without obtaining environmental clearance and consent needed under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and the Water (Prevention and Control) Act, 1974 in the eco-fragile area of the Himalayas.

Besides, the plea moved by environment activist Vikrant Tongad has made the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority, State Pollution Control Board, National Buildings Construction Corporation Ltd and the Central Ground Water Authority parties in the case.

Tongad has said the project, which will come up on 100 acres, will have the Assembly building, offices, MLA hostels, officers’ hostel, residences for 16 ministers, the Chief Minister, the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker and a helipad.

“The Assembly building is being constructed on 100 acres and the total built up area is 20,812 sq m without obtaining environmental clearance under the environment impact assessment notification, 2006,” it said.

The plea, filed through advocate Rahul Choudhary, claims that the sewage generated during the operation will be around 65 kilo litres a day, but no provision for installing a sewage treatment plant has been made.—PTI