Conduct public hearing for SEZ project in Maha: Green Panel to Indiabulls

Refuses plea for exemption in the absence of scrutiny of environmental issues

Expert appraisal committee (EAC) attached to the ministry of environment and forests (MoEf) has rejected Indiabulls Industrial Infrastructure’s plea for exemption of public hearing for its proposed special economic zone (SEZ) in north Maharashtra. Instead, EAC at its meeting held in December, the minutes of which were uploaded on MoEF’s website last week, ruled that the public consultation and public hearing should be conducted for the project as per provisions of Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006 and the issued raised by the public be addressed in the environment management plan (EMP). 

 

Besides, EAC has also asked Indiabulls Industrial Infrastructure to submit an additional terms of reference (TOR) for the SEZ project following the expiry of four year validity of previous ToR. Indiabulls Industrial Infrastructure had earlier planned SEZ on 1008.42 hectare but it has now reduced the area to 575.07 hectare excluding power plant and textile component from the multipurpose SEZ. Of the 575.07 hectare, the processing area would be 512.068 hectare while 63.002 hectare to be non processing area. The company has made fresh plea for granting additional TOR for the project. 

EAC’s ruling comes at a time when the Maharashtra government in its new industrial policy has proposed conversion of SEZ into integrated industrial area. Indiabulls has yet to take a call in this regard.

Indiabulls spokesperson told Business Standard," We comply with all laws as well as directives of the government and would not want to comment on each of our government approval processes. We have applied to Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) to waive off the condition of public hearing and will wait for its decision."

Indiabulls Industrial Infrastructure had pleaded that as per the EIA notification, 2006 the public hearing is exempted since it is a SEZ project for which Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation has allotted the notified land for industrial use. However, EAC said no exemption of public hearing is given to SEZ, only the projects proposed within the approved SEZ/industrial estate or park are exempted.

“The committee carefully looked into the contention of the proponent (read Indiabulls) regarding the issue of public hearing and came to the conculsion that for a multipurpose SEZ where pharmaceuticals and biotech, textiles, aviation, auto and engineering industries are likely to be established and as at this stage, the wastes, discharge and emissions are not even confirmed and detailed environmental issues have not been examined and assessed, the public hearing/consultation be conducted,” EAC said in its report.

Moreover, EAC has Induabulls to submit environmental monitoring plan and management plan with cost and parameters both for construction and operation. The project proponent has also been asked to examine the impact on agricultural productivity of the area due to the development.