The controversial Enron power project in
Maharashtra's katnagiri district has been referred
back to the ministry of environment and forests
(MFF) for clearance. The decision was taken on
September 27 by a division bench of the Bombay
High Court, following a writ petition filed in August
by the Bombay Environmental Action Group.
The Rs 9,000 crore gas-based project had. earlier
been exempted from a January 1994 MEF notification
that sought environmental impact studies of power
projects along with suggestions and
objections from the public. The ministry
contended that the exemption was granted as the Dabhol Power Company's (DPC)
application for environmental clearance
was submitted before January.
The judges, however, disagreed. They
specified, a j-point action plan that entails the submission of all documents relating to the project's
environment impact by the ivc to the MEF; the
examination of these documents by an expert committee comprising representatives from the ministry's thermal power and ports committees; making
the committee's recommendations available to
Bombay's environment groups for scrutiny within 2
days; an MEF hearing of the suggestions and objections; and, finally, the verdict.
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