Ridge projects under scanner: MP to MoEF

There is a new twist in the row over the illegal construction of shopping malls in south Delhi's Vasant Kunj ridge area.

Lok Sabha member Raghunath Jha has written a letter to the ministry of environment and forests, conveying his concerns about the ongoing construction at the proposed site despite an order passed by the Supreme Court putting a stay on the construction.

Jha has also questioned the involvement of ministry officials in granting clearances to the projects.

"In his letter written to the minister, A Raja, Jha has alleged that work on the projects is going on in spite of a Supreme Court directive," government sources told Business Standard. The member has requested the ministry to book the culprits for disobeying court orders.

Regarding the involvement of the ministry's officials in the project, the letter states, "I would request you to bring to book the guilty officials of your ministry responsible for ignoring the construction without any environmental clearance from the ministry."

Reacting to the letter written by the member, Joint Secretary R Chandramohan has asked the Principal Secretary, Department of Environment and Chairperson, DPCC, N Jayasheelan to look into the matter and take necessary action to stop construction immediately. A report has also to be sent to the ministry in this regard.

It may be noted that the Supreme Court on May 1 had stayed work in the Vasant Kunj mall complex till it received an environment impact assessment (EIA) report from the environment ministry.

The PIL filed by an NGO "" Ridge Bachao Andolan "" had alleged that constructions for monumental projects like shopping malls etc were being undertaken in the ridge area in contravention of the apex court order of 1997.

While the Supreme Court had cleared the area in 1997 for building, the court had directed that all clearances from environmental authorities including pollution check were required before any construction.

It had appointed the Environmental Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority to assess the impact of any new construction.

According to the NGO, the construction activities were taking place on 92 hectare of DDA-allotted land and in 330 hectare of army land.

While alleging that construction was going on in complete violation of the apex court order, NGO counsel Prashant Bhushan had argued that these areas had been identified by various committees as protected ridge area and were vital for the groundwater recharge zone in the ridge area.

However, the ministry had submitted an affidavit saying no new project could be undertaken without an EIA if it had an investment of over Rs 50 crore, discharged over 50,000 litres of sewage per day or housed more than 1,000 persons.

And, all the five malls coming up in the Rs 1,182-crore complex "" a 92-acre plot bought at a 1992 DDA auction "" fulfilled either one criteria or all, the ministry had submitted.

The five parties involved "" Maruti Udyog Limited, Ambience Developers Private Limited, Regency Park Management Services Private Limited, Beverly Park Maintenance Services Private Limited and Jasmine Project Private Limited "" had claimed that their projects fell below the thresholds specified.

However, Bhushan told Business Standard that he was not aware of the alleged clearance given by the ministry.

"The ministry was supposed to have a public hearing and might have decided to give clearance after that. But I am not aware about the latest developments," he added.