Expert committee visits site

Kochi, June 4 (UNI) An expert committee set up by the Central Environment and Forest Ministery visited the project site in connection with the Vallarpadam International Trans-shipmentment Terminal here.

The ten-member committee headed by Mr G V Antony carried out extensive field inspections and held talks with concerned officials and environmental groups.

The panel has sought certain additional inputs and clarifications so that the matter could be considered in the next meeting of Expert Committee for Infrastructure Projects, sources said.

The Sub-Committee of the Expert Committee of Environment for Infrastructure Projects, along with representatives of Ministry of Environment and Forests, visited the Cochin Port to study the proposal for environmental clearance.

The committee members held discussions with the officials of the Cochin Port Trust, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, National Highways Authority of India, Centre for Earth Science Studies, Kerala State Coastal Zone Management Authority, Kerla State Science Technology and Environment, Department and Ministry of Shipping, in this connection.

Various enviromental issues and measures proposed to mitigate such concerns were discussed and the final report would be released in New Delhi, sources added.

Under the Licence Agreement with the India Gateway Terminal Private Ltd (DP World), it is the responsibility of the Cochin Port Trust to provide road and rail connectivity to the Vallarpadam Island.

Government of India had earlier decided that the entire cost of construction of the road and rail connectivites would be borne by the Centre. The National Highway Authority of India has been given the responsibility of construction of four-lane Highway connectivity between Vallarpadam and NH-47 Kalamassery and the RVNL has been assigned the responsibility of construction of railway connectivity from Vallarpadam to Edappally Railway Station. The National Highway Authority of India had since taken up the case for Environmental clearance for this project.

UNI JA VV SS1754