MoEF grants conditional go-ahead to Lavasa

The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) today granted ‘conditional’ approval to Lavasa Corporation to complete the buildings under construction at its housing project site near Pune.

According to the affidavit filed by the MoEF before the Bombay High Court, its expert committee had ‘permitted’ Lavasa Corporation to complete the construction of the 257 buildings which are above the plinth level at its hill city. “In view of the investments made and taking note of the hardships faced by the petitioners (Lavasa) and the pending construction work of 257 buildings, which are above the plinth level, construction is permitted with some conditions,” the affidavit filed by the deputy director of the MoEF, said.

Senior counsels Mukul Rohatgi and Janak Dwarkadas, appearing for Lavasa, told the High Court the petitioner would like to withdraw its petition challenging the stop-work notice issued by the MoEF last year. They said Lavasa would pursue its application filed before the MoEF, seeking a clearance for the housing project coming up in Pune district. Lavasa, however, backtracked after the bench of Justices Ranjana Desai and R G Ketkar refused to lift the stay on the stop-work notice.