NGT plea against new Assembly building in Uttarakhand

The plea contends that the project at Gairsain area of Chamoli district in central Uttarakhand has been started without obtaining environmental clearance

An environmental activist has moved the National Green Tribunal seeking a stay on the construction of a new legislative assembly building of Uttarakhand on the ground that the project lacks mandatory clearances.

The plea contends that the project at Gairsain area of Chamoli district in central Uttarakhand has been started without obtaining Environmental Clearance and consent as required under Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and Water (Prevention and Control) Act, 1974 in eco-fragile area of the Himalayas.

The plea moved by environmental activist Vikrant Tongad has made Ministry of Environment and Forests, Uttarakhand government, State Environment Impact Assessment Authority, State Pollution Control Board, National Buildings Construction Corporation Ltd. and Central Ground Water Authority as parties in the case.

Tongad states the project, which will come up on a 100-acre land parcel, will have the assembly building, offices catering to the assembly, MLA hostels for 60 residents, officers’ hostel for 60 residents, VIP residences for 16 ministers, residence for chief minister, speaker and deputy speaker and a helipad.

“The construction of Legislative Assembly building is being done in 100 acre land and total built up area is 20, 812 sq.m without obtaining Environmental Clearance under Environment Impact Assessment notification, 2006,” it said.

The plea, filed through advocate Rahul Choudhary, claims that the sewage generated during the operation will be around 65 kilolitre per day, but no provision for installation of sewage treatment plant has been made to treat this huge amount of sewage.

“Pass an order staying the ongoing construction of the new legislative assembly of the State of Uttarakhand at Bharisain, Gairsain at the Chamoli district in the central part of Uttarakhand till the disposal of the plea,” the petition said.