The Commission has directed the Ministry "to publish the policy along with reasons in permitting Solar Thermal projects, including that M/s Sagitaur Ventures India Pvt. limited as mentioned in this application, without Environmental Clearance, in spite of stand taken by the Ministry that it was a breach of Environment Protection Act."
Information Commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu directed the Ministry, "to explain reasons for this non-publication of policy-related information about Solar Thermal projects as mandated by Section 4(1) of RTI Act."
"It is the statutory duty of respondent Ministry of Environment to explain why the order of the NGT was not implemented, what is their policy on this issue, what is their administrative decision as to revisiting the blanket exemption given under an Office Memorandum which was agreed by the Ministry of Environment through an affidavit before NGT as a breach of Environment Protection Act, as directed by NGT?," the Commissioner said on the plea of Davis George Thomas.
Sagitaur Ventures India Pvt Ltd was allotted 1250 acres of land in the Amrit Mahal Kavals of Challakere Taluk, Chitradurga District, Karnataka state to set up a 200 mw capacity Solar Power Generation project, Acharyulu noted.
"Citing recent research showing environmental hazards that solar project could cause, the NGT directed the Ministry to revisit the exemption order with regard to Environmental Clearance given to Sagitaur Ventures India Pvt Ltd and pass suitable orders, in the light of research reports," he said.