Akshardham, CWG Village got green clearance: Dikshit

Countering Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh's remarks, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today said both Commonwealth Games Village and Akshardham temple had got green clearance for their construction on the banks of river Yamuna here.

Countering Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh's remarks, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Saturday said both Commonwealth Games Village and Akshardham temple had got green clearance for their construction on the banks of river Yamuna here.

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"I do not know in which context Ramesh spoke. Both Akshardham and Games Village got clearance to the best of my knowledge. They were given clearances," Dikshit told reporters when asked about Ramesh's remarks yesterday.

Ramesh had said the Games Village should not have been given environmental clearance while there was no application ever for permission to build the temple.

He had, however, added that the structure (Akshardham) could not be demolished now. Dikshit said the decision to give environment clearance to Akshardham temple was taken by the then NDA government. Union Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy refused to comment on the remarks made by Ramesh. "I don't want to comment on a comment," he said.