NOCs were cancelled by previous government: Punjab govt

Chandigarh, Apr 30 (UNI) The Punjab government today reiterated its commitment to turn the border state into the most preferred destination for investors, who had been misled on the issue of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) required for project sites.

''The previous government did considerable damage by misleading key players in the field of industry and business and keeping them in the dark about the implications of the judgment of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the matter of guidelines for project sites,'' the spokesman said here.

However, the present government was determined to undo the damage of the previous government and boost investors' confidence in the state, he added.

Regarding the cancellation of NOCs issued for mega projects, he said that this decision was initiated by the previous regime. On the other hand, the present government had initiated action on framing fresh, suitable and consolidated guidelines for project sites in the vicinity of industrial units and industrial areas.

The spokesperson decried attempts by certain vested interests to create an impression that the present government was responsible for the process leading to the cancellation of the NOCs issued to certain mega projects in the state. The fact is that these NOCs had been revoked by the previous regime through an order dated February 15 this year, he added.

The spokesman sought to clarify that the previous government had also given an undertaking through the then Chief Secretary K R Lakhanpal to the High Court that all NOCs and subsequent actions were being annulled. This was in pursuance of the orders of the Court which had taken strong objection to the denial of the right of the users to complain against any violations of the norms regarding environmental hazards of the projects in question.

The previous government had ''revoked, cancelled and withdrawn'' the NOCs issued by the Punjab Pollution Control Board to these projects, the spokesman claimed.

UNI