Lafarge asked to meet additional conditions for mining

French cement giant Lafarge, which got environmental clearance from an expert committee for minning in forest areas of Meghalaya, was today asked in the Supreme Court to meet additional conditions, including deposit of Rs 55 crore towards Net Present Value (NPV) of the forest land to be used for welfare projects for tribals.

Attorney General G E Vahanvati informed a special forest bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan that the expert committee, which gave the clearance to the French company, has conclucded that most of the environmental conditions have been complied by Lafarge.

However, he said certain conditions have to be imposed on Lafarge which, along with Megahalaya government, will set up a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) headed by the state Chief Secretary to administer a fund for development in the project area of 50 kms, solely for local community and welfare of tribals.

Vahanvati said the French company will have to deposit Rs 55 crore towards five times of the NPV as recommended by the apex-court appointed Centre Empowered Committee with an interest of 6 per cent per annum from April 1, 2007, which would be made in one instalment within four weeks of the order of the apex court.

The company will have to deposit Rs 80 per tonne of the limestone mined with the SPV every month which will be kept in interest-bearing account with a nationalised bank.

The suggestion put forward by the Attorney General said the Accountant General and the SPV shall file annual report before the apex court detailing the work done by it in relation to the wlefare projects.

The projects would include development of health, education, economy, irrigation and agriculture in the project area of 50 kms solely for the local community and welfare of tribals, he said.

Further, the company will have to comply with the March 30, 2010, recommmendations made by the committee set up by the Ministry of Environment and Forest which included making of a detailed Catchment Area Treatment Plan.