Bangalore: NGT gives green signal to the science city project
The National Green Tribunal (NGT South Zone) has given a go-ahead to the ambitious Science City project. This project is proposed to come up on 10,000 acres in Chitradurga district’s Challakere taluk. The tribunal had earlier ordered a stay on proposals by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) to set up key projects in the taluk.
In NGT’s order dated August 27, the tribunal mentioned that by applying the Doctrine of Sustainable Development, it is held that the respondents (IISc, DRDO, BARC& ISRO)/ land allottees are not to be restrained from carrying on their proposed projects. The green signal applies to all the projects.
There were allegations that if NGT allowed these projects to proceed, then they would cause environmental degradation.The ordercomes after a stay till August 27, the day the order was to be pronounced.
Lifting the stay, the tribunal ordered that the project be carried out only after the institutes obtain environment clearance from the pollution control board and consent for establishment ministry of environment and forests (MoEF). The tribunal observed that the land allotted was not forest land. Hence the reputed organisations were not violating any rules and regulations and were considerate towards the environment.
Source- The Times of India
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), Indian Institute of Science, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Ministry of Environment and Forests, MoEF, National Green Tribunal, NGT South Zone, Science City project
