Adani's MPSEZ denies breach of green norms

A day after the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) issued a showcause notice to Mundra Port and Special Economic Zone Ltd (MPSEZ) for alleged violation of the coastal regulation zone (CRZ) notification, MPSEZ, promoted by the Ahmedabad-based Adani Group, today maintained that it had complied with all environmental and coastal regulations. The company officials also maintained the company was yet to receive a physical copy of the notice.

“The work carried out at Mundra is in compliance with clearances. We are studying the issues raised by the MoEF and will respond to them in due course of time. Operations at Mundra are normal,” Adani Group said in a statement.

“We have not violated any rule under environment or CRZ regulations. We do have all the required environmental and CRZ clearances for the whole of the SEZ. The details that the MoEF has mentioned in the notice need not or may not be the factual position here. The notice will be replied to in the given time frame,” said a company official, requesting anonymity.

He said the company had developed a compensatory plantation area and green zone at necessary places and met all the regulatory requirements.

On the environmental clearance to the company’s airport in the SEZ, the official added, “The company already has an environmental clearance for the airport, as it is a part of the SEZ, which is already having all the required clearances.”

In its notice, the MoEF said, “Whereas Mundra Port & SEZ Ltd have developed an airport the sign board at the site indicating ‘airport’, which is located close to the shore and it is noted that the clearance letter from Civil Aviation Department, dated October 30, 2008, provided by M/s Mundra Port & SEZ Ltd inter-alia refers to development of a Mundra aerodrome, while development of a aerodrome/airport requires prior environmental clearance under the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification, 2006.”

The MoEF had sent a designated ministry official to visit the port location on the basis of a representation from a local social organisation, Machimar Adhikar Sangharsh Sangathan, alleging violation of the CRZ area for establishing various facilities of the SEZ.

A report prepared on the basis of the site visit by A Senthil Vel, additional director of the ministry, along with the officials of the Gujarat Pollution Control Board and Gujarat Ecological Commission, on December 6 and 7 indicated that large scale reclamation using dredged material was being carried out on mangrove area behind the West and North port site.