PUNE: In an affidavit submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) regarding the High Capacity Mass Transit Project (HCMTR) project, the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) has asked the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to seek the ministry’s clearance before launching the plan.
Activists have raised objections regarding the outer ring road project before the country’s environmental watchdog.
NGT, while hearing the petition, asked the ministry of environment and forests to submit their say on the project. The ministry, in its reply, stated objections.
The questions raised by the ministry include why a 40-year-old project is being forced upon residents despite public opposition? why politicians and administration are taking interest in the project when the government machinery is falling short of funds due to the Covid-19 pandemic? and why PMC is circumventing the procedure of environmental clearance for HCMTR?
Sarang Yadwadkar, urban planner and one of the petitioners, said, “HCMTR was planned 40 years ago and was meant only for public transport, but now the plan is converted for private transport. The project would badly impact the environment causing massive air pollution and many buildings would need to be demolished.”
Nagrik Chetna Manch’s activist Qaneez Sukhrani said, “On what grounds have an outdated plan of HCMTR been approved by PMC? How can it go ahead without having the environment clearance?”
{{/usCountry}}Nagrik Chetna Manch’s activist Qaneez Sukhrani said, “On what grounds have an outdated plan of HCMTR been approved by PMC? How can it go ahead without having the environment clearance?”
{{/usCountry}}The activists said that the issues raised by the ministry in the affidavit are in line with their concerns.