NGT refuses to stop riverfront development work in Pune but asks PMC not to issue new work orders
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has cited possible financial loss if ongoing construction activities under the River Front Development (RFD) project in the city are stopped. The western zone branch of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has allowed works for which orders have already been issued and directed the civic body not to issue new work orders for construction of any kind till amended environment clearances are obtained for the project.
The bench of Judicial Member Dinesh Kumar Singh and Expert Member Vijay Kulkarni heard activist Sarang Yadwadkar’s application on Wednesday. The activist urged the tribunal to direct PMC to immediately stop all construction activities undertaken for RFD of Mula, Mutha and Mula-Mutha rivers and impose a penalty on the civic body for violation of a tribunal judgment of November 11.
In the earlier order, the NGT had asked the PMC to approach the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) for amendment of environmental clearance (EC). The amendments, both in the terms of project scope and additional conditions are to be stipulated before proceeding with any construction activity. The tribunal, however, has not set aside the previous environmental clearance.
“We are of the opinion that the prayer made by the applicants that PMC should be directed to stop all construction activities would entail financial loss to them which can be avoided, particularly in view of the fact that we have not quashed the EC and have permitted PMC to approach the SEIAA for seeking amended EC. But that has to be done on a priority basis,” the bench said.
“It is apparent that PMC has already approached SEIAA seeking a format to be made available on which they have to apply for amended EC as no such format exists as of now. We, therefore, direct SEIAA to provide the appropriate format within one week to PMC and within two weeks thereafter, the application in such format would be moved by PMC before the SEIAA seeking amended EC. We direct SEIAA to complete within four weeks the proceedings of issuing the amended EC required in the present matter,” the bench added.
The NGT bench further said, “We hope that the above time schedule would be followed by the authorities as directed by us in letter and spirit so that no further delay occurs. We further make it clear that no new work order would be issued by PMC for raising construction of any kind till the amended EC has been obtained by them.”
The PMC had issued work orders for two stretches on March 2 last year before Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the project, on the lines of the Sabarmati riverfront development project. The PMC had argued in the NGT that stopping the work would lead to financial loss to the civic body.
The PMC has undertaken the development of the 300-metre stretch near Bund Garden on a war footing to showcase it during the G20 meeting on infrastructure scheduled to be held in Pune on January 16.
The RFD project includes the development of a 44-km river stretch, which includes 22.2 km of Mula river, 10.4 km of Mutha river and 11.8 km of Mula-Mutha river, at a cost of Rs 5,500 crore. The project is divided into multiple stretches for implementation. While actual work on two stretches has begun, the tender process has begun for a few more stretches.
