MoEF to submit Lavasa report in Bombay High Court

Mumbai, Jan 17 (ANI): The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) will on Monday submit a report prepared by its Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) on the environmental impact of Lavasa in the Bombay High Court.

The fate of Lavasa, planned across 25,000 acres in Baramati district near Pune, hangs in balance after objections were raised over the ecological impact of the project by MoEF and several non-government organizations.

Earlier, the eleven-EAC led by Naresh Dayal last week visited the Lavasa and submitted its report to the MoEF on January 10.

The construction of the project was held up for want of environmental clearance.

On November 25, the MoEF had issued a stop-work notice for the Lavasa project saying it violated some environmental rules.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests had stayed construction work at the site alleging that Lavasa Corporation had violated the ministry notifications issued in 2004.

The court had earlier directed Lavasa to approach the ministry by December 9 regarding the stay imposed on the work and directed the ministry to pass an order on it by December 16.

However, the Ministry refused to vacate the stay and reply to the show cause notice. (ANI)