HC validates clearance to Lafarge Mandi plant, but sets a rider

Lafarge got a breather on Friday in a litigation related to its proposed project in the western Himalayas as the Himachal Pradesh high court set aside a year-old ruling of the national green court that quashed the environment clearance (EC) the French giant had secured in the hill state to set up a cement plant.

A special green bench of the high court nullified the September 2010 judgment of the National Environment Applellate Authority (NEAA), but asked the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) to constitute an expert advisory committee to re-look the ecological concerns of the proposed venture at Alsindi in the central district of Mandi.

The Paris-headquartered Lafarge, on its part, welcomed the decision, “We are committed to total legal and environmental compliance,” a spokesman for the MNC said. “The court has also referred the EC to the MoEF for consideration. Lafarge will comply with the recommendations of the ministry, as stipulated.” The spokesman maintained that the proposed project would accrue benefits to the local communities by giving them preference in jobs. “The villagers around the site will also benefit from our CSR and community development initiatives,” he said. This, he added, included development of infrastructure in the region.

Lafarge had secured the EC in June last year, based on a site inspection carried out by NEAA chairman J C Kala. When the MoEF-granted green clearance was quashed by the appellate authority, Lafarge moved the high court.

The Himachal government had in 2006 approved the three-million-ton-per-annum integrated greenfield cement plant to 1833-founded Lafarge.

The Alsindi plant was to attract a Rs 900-crore investment.