The National Green Tribunal today junked a plea against the construction of an international exhibition-cum-convention centre (IECC) in Dwarka here.
A bench headed by Justice Raghuvendra S Rathore said the Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Department of Environment of the Delhi government had examined the impact of the project on environment and imposed necessary conditions to mitigate the adverse consequences.
The tribunal noted that compensatory plantation of 19,610 trees along the Yamuna river bank has already been ordered and the project proponent has also been asked to plant 17,098 trees at the site in Dwarka.
"We are, therefore, satisfied that all the concerns and suggestions which the applicant had raised have been examined and considered...In view of the above, the original application filed by the applicant has to be rejected," the bench said.
The tribunal also directed the project proponent, Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation, to comply with all the conditions put in the environment clearance certificate.
"The project proponent will ensure that the trees to be planted are at least 6 feet high and over three year old and sufficient care will be taken to protect and maintain them. In the event, directions to plant trees in Dwarka site is not complied with project proponent shall be liable to pay environmental compensation," the bench said.
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The tribunal had earlier issued notices to the Ministry of the Environment and Forests, AAP government, Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation and Delhi Pollution Control Committee on the plea alleging felling of trees for the Rs 26,000-crore project.
The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by city resident Shobhit Chauhan seeking "complete review" of the project to protect trees from being chopped.
"Issue appropriate guidelines in order to law down a procedure for compensatory plantation in urban areas, and to consider green' and environmental friendly alternatives to afforestation.
"Direct an independent team of the Environment Ministry and the Department of Environment of Delhi government to assess the number and size of tree species and other bushes/shrubs actually present on the ground on the said lands and the number of tress that can be transplanted and conduct a satellite baseline assessment," the plea had said.
With an overall built-up space of 1.02 million sq. metres, the IECC will house exhibition halls, convention centres, banquet halls, an arena, a financial centre, hotels, food and beverage outlets, commercial and retail services and common internal infrastructure facilities.
The IECC, which is coming up in Sector 25 in Dwarka, will be able to host 5,000 to 10,000 delegates. It will take an estimated around 15 minutes to reach the centre from the international airport here.