The Maharashtra government is expected to move the Magistrate Court at Pune against the Lavasa project soon for alleged violation of environmental norms. The state government has reportedly authorized its Pollution Control Board to take action against the company.
Last month, the Bombay High Court had directed the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) to pass its final order within three weeks. The MoEF had earlier denied environmental clearance to Lavasa’s first phase, citing the state government’s failure in taking ‘credible action’ against the violation.
The state government sought views of its law and judiciary department which had suggested the government to proceed as per the direction of the court.
In May 2011, the ministry had recommended the proposal pertaining to the issue of environmental clearance for the first phase of the project after imposing certain pre-conditions, which mainly talks about credible action from the Maharashtra government against the violation; submission of a written commitment by Lavasa that violations shall not be repeated and an assurance that the scale and intensity of the development of the hill town shall be as per regulations. It also said that at least 5% of the total cost of the project shall be earmarked towards the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), besides others.
However, Lavasa had claimed that it has fulfilled all pre-conditions, except the first one, which was related to the state government’s credible action.
