Court orders review for Lafarge environmental clearance, India
The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Friday set aside an order of the National Environment Appellate Authority (NEAA), which had quashed the environment clearance for a proposed cement plant to be set up Lafarge, at Karsog in Mandi district.
The court has now asked the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) to constitute an expert advisory committee (EAC) to visit the site of the 3Mt cement plant and review the issue of granting environmental clearance and address the local concerns.
A Green Bench comprising Justice Deepak Gupta and Justice Sanjay Karol passed the orders while disposing off three separate petitions, including a PIL, and a petition filed by the company challenging the order of the NEAA.
The court gave the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) two months’ time to complete the task by sending a sub-committee to the site, and submit its report.
“Before visiting the site the sub-committee should ensure that sufficient notice is given to the people of the area so that they can put forth their views. The EAC after considering the report of the sub-committee should decide the matter afresh,” the bench said.
Published under Cement News
