Green Tribunal reserves verdict on Adani's plea

The National Green Tribunal today reserved its verdict on Adani Pench Power Ltd's plea against its earlier order rejecting the company's contention that a challenge to the environment clearance granted to its thermal power project in Madhya Pradesh was time barred.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar also said that proceedings in the main matter will be deferred till pronouncement of judgement in Adani's review application challenging the tribunal's July 11, 2013 decision.
The tribunal on July 11 had rejected Adani's objection that the petition filed by activist Medha Patkar against the clearance granted to its project in Chhindwara District of Madhya Pradesh was filed too late.

The tribunal had held that Patkar's plea had been filed within the stipulated period of 90 days.
Adani had objected to Patkar's plea saying the environmental clearance was granted and communicated on October 16-17, 2012 while the petition was filed on January 30, 2013 and as such there is a delay of 16 days beyond the period of the stipulated 90 days.
The MoEF had also taken a similar argument that the plea had been filed beyond the period of limitation.
In her petition, Patkar has challenged the legality and correctness of the environmental clearance granted on October 16, 2012 by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) to Adani's 2x660 MW imported coal based thermal power plant at villages Dhanora, Chausara, Dogawani Pipariya, Hiwarkhedi and Thawriteka in Chaura and Chhindwara taluka in district Chhindwara of Madhya Pradesh.

She has contended in her petition that the environmental clearance (EC) has been granted to the Adani "in violation of the Environmental Impact Assessment notification of 2006 in an arbitrary manner and it being contrary to law, is otherwise illegal".