IT Park Housing Projects: Chandigarh Housing Board seeks opinion of wildlife experts

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 29

The Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) will now seek the opinion of wildlife experts for getting wildlife clearance for its housing projects at the IT Park.

After getting the expert opinion, the board would prepare a fresh application and submit the same to the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority to be forwarded to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to review its decision regarding granting clearance to its two housing schemes at the IT Park, said a senior official.

‘Area not in ESZ’

“The area does not fall under the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary,” an official said. The project falls beyond 1.25 km of the ESZ. Plot No. 1 and 2 were 1.56 km from the sanctuary and the Plot No. 7 was 1.52 km away, the official added.

After approval by the UT Administrator in 2017, the CHB had planned to build 728 flats in three categories in seven-storey towers on plot No. 1 and 2, spread over 16.6 acres, at the IT Park for the general public. Besides, it was to construct flats for MLAs and officers of Punjab and Haryana on plot No. 7. The project land is part of 123 acres that the CHB got back from Parsvnath Developers after a long-drawn legal battle.

However, the National Board for Wildlife (NBW) in October last year rejected the CHB’s proposal to grant approval to its two proposed projects — General Housing Scheme on plot No. 1 and 2 and Government Housing Scheme on plot No. 7 at the IT Park. Turning down the proposal, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change stated after discussion, the standing committee of the NBW observed the development of high-rises near the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary would lead to disturbance in the migratory paths of the birds. “The waste generated along with noise and air pollution arising as a result of allied activities in these townships will have a deleterious effect on the sanctuary and birds,” the ministry had stated, adding that the standing committee, therefore, decided to reject the proposal.

As per the Supreme Court, no permanent structure can be constructed for whatever purpose within the eco-sensitive zone of the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary.

“The area does not fall under the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary,” the official said. The project falls beyond 1.25 km of the ESZ. The official said plot No. 1 and 2 were 1.56 km from the sanctuary and the Plot No. 7 was 1.52 km away.

Up to 0.5 km from the ESZ, no commercial construction is allowed. From 0.5 km to 1.25 km, construction of low-density and low-rise buildings up to 15 feet is allowed, while beyond 1.25 km, construction of new buildings, including houses, is allowed.

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#Chandigarh Housing Board CHB #Environment