Bombay High Court stays environ ministry’s show cause notice to Lavasa
07 Dec 2010
The Bombay High Court today stayed the Environment Ministry's direction to Lavasa Corporation to stop construction at the proposed hill station in Pune district.
The High Court, which was hearing Lavasa's petition, directed the ministry that the corporation be given a proper hearing. The ministry would have to pass an order on the issue by 16 December.
The corporation's lawyer, in a voluntary statement to the court submitted that no construction will be carried out at the site till 16 December.
Further hearing into the matter would be conducted by the High Court on the same day.
The ministry has also been directed by court to give a hearing to the NGO, National Alliance of People's Movement which had initially objected to the Lavasa project.
On 25 November, the Ministry had issued a show-cause notice to Lavasa, demanding to know why it has not obtained clearances as per rules under Environment Protection Act, amended by notifications in 1994 and 2004.
The ministry also asked the corporation, which is developing a hill station in Mulshi taluka of Pune district, to stop the construction work forthwith.
