Revoke environmental clearance to BMIC project: ESG

Bangalore, June 16 (UNI) The Environment Support Group (ESG) today demanded that the Karnataka Government revoke the environment clearance given to the Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE) to take up the controversial Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC), project for producing ''false data'' on the land acquired.

Presenting a report to Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy in this regard in the presence of reporters here, ESG Leo F Saldahna said ''Now it is time for the government to take action against NICE for violating many of the conditions of the Framework Agreement of the project.'' He said NICE had received the environment clearance by producing 'false information' to the Union Enviroment Ministry and did not make any mention of the excess land of 2,449 acres in its application. His Group had all the documentary evidences to prove it, he added.

Mr Saldanha said the company had already destroyed five water tanks around the city by shifting the alignment of the project, violating guidelines.

He informed that he had written to Enviroment and Forests Minister C Chennigappa on the destruction of the tanks by NICE, but it had not taken any action.

The Group had also taken up a study on the project's impact on environment in 1999, he added.

He said the government should also pressurise the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to restart its inquiry into the company's financial transactions as it had also violated the bank's guidelines.

''The RBI initially took up the inquiry based on our complaint, but later stopped it,'' he added.

In all ten banks had financed the project based on the excess land shown in the project, he said, quoting a report submitted by NICE to the Unit Trust of India bank seeking financial assistance.

He said the company did not have any idea about the project's social impact on small farmers. While over hundreds of families living in and around the project area were affected by it, the company claimed that in all only 700 people were affected.

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