With China in mind, the Environment ministry today promised speedy clearances to defence projects and announced that approval has been given to Karwar which has been pending for long during the UPA rule.
Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said several projects having bearing on national security have been pending for long because of lack of green clearances including those related to coastline security even after the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
"...If China is sitting in front and is doing something and we can't even monitor. The country cannot run like that. So these kind of projects which are of importance to country's security, we have started clearing such pending projects on a priority basis," Javadekar said during an interaction with reporters at Indian Women Press Corps.
Giving examples of pending projects which his ministry is taking up on a priority basis, he said Coco Island located beyond Andamans is under Myanmar's occupation but most of the infrastructure there is of China.
"Just in front of that island, there is our Narcondum Island. One radar station has to be established on that island in which 8-10 employees will be stationed. There is no other thing which will create disturbance in the natural environment there," he said.
"There is Project Seabird in Karwar. For defence, it is a very significant project....Mumbai is a target as well....An alternative is required and that is why it is a very ambitious and a project of very strategic importance. That too was pending. We have sanctioned it," he said.
Project Seabird (Karwar Naval Base) will be one of the larger naval bases of India and will be completed in two phases. It will house various warships including India's largest warship and aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya.
Several projects including road construction in North-Eastern states along the border with China and radar establishment plans in island territory have been pending for the want of environmental clearances.
