Re: Rajarhat in foul-air fight ....

[AKRS]

 
Bong,
Thanks for keeping us informed.
akrs

On Wed, 21 May 2008 Bong wrote :
>
>Refer: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080521/jsp/calcutta/story_9297083.jsp
>
>Rajarhat in foul-air fight
>JAYANTA BASU
>
>The emerging urbanscape of Rajarhat. Three realty titans have been
>fined for not seeking environmental clearance for the housing estates
>they have built in the boom town. A Telegraph picture
>Three real estate titans fined for constructing housing estates in the
>city's boom town, Rajarhat, without the state pollution control
>board's green signal have coughed up the money but are questioning the
>way rules are being implemented.
>
>Bengal Peerless, Bengal Shrachi and DLF were given to understand that
>environmental clearance had been obtained for the entire township and
>that realtors need not individually apply for permission. So it came
>as a surprise when Biswajit Mukherjee, the chief law officer in the
>environment department, penalised them for not applying for no-
>pollution certificates.
>
>The managing director of Bengal Peerless, K.S. Bagchi, said his
>company had discussed the issue with Hidco officials on several
>occasions and was "verbally" assured that no environmental clearance
>would be required for individual housing estates.
>
>"We will appeal to the environment department, though we have already
>paid the fine," Bagchi said.
>
>Bengal Peerless, which cut its teeth in the real estate business with
>the landmark Anupama Housing Complex on VIP Road, was fined Rs 10 lakh
>for starting work on two estates. Another homegrown real estate
>player, Bengal Shrachi, and DLF, the country's largest realty firm,
>had to pay Rs 5 lakh each for building residential complexes without
>pollution clearance.
>
>Mukherjee said the Rs 20 lakh paid by the real estate groups would be
>used for the welfare of people "affected" by real estate development
>and "improvement of the environment".
>
>Officials of DLF declined comment and none from Bengal Shrachi could
>be contacted. Hidco officials said the environment department acted in
>haste.
>
>"Our stand is that individual housing complexes should not be asked to
>individually seek permission from the pollution control board when the
>township as a whole has already received environment clearance.
>Housing minister Goutam Deb has already taken it up with the
>environment secretary (M.L. Meena)," Hidco managing director Sumantra
>Chowdhury told Metro.
>
>Meena said the dispute would be "referred to the Union environment
>ministry for clarifications, if required".
>
>Another official said that when a similar dispute arose in 2006, the
>Union environment ministry clarified to the state pollution control
>board that "blanket clearance" for Rajarhat did not mean projects
>could be started without permission.
>
>"In any case, if the realty firms feel they don't need environment
>clearance for projects in Rajarhat, why did they write to the state
>environment impact assessment authority for permission?" he asked.
>
>
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