13 city realty majors get notices over green nod

The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has sent show-cause notices to 13 realty majors that have large projects in central Mumbai, most of them in erstwhile mill areas, asking them to submit details of environmental clearances within a week.

The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has sent show-cause notices to 13 realty majors that have large projects in central Mumbai, most of them in erstwhile mill areas, asking them to submit details of environmental clearances within a week.

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MPCB issued the notices after it was served notices by lawyer-activist YP Singh in May and August, alleging that these projects – which got additional development rights after the builders constructed public parking lots — did not have clearances under the Environment Impact Notification (2006).

With the controversies surrounding Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society and Lavasa — both, the Colaba housing society and the hill city, were accused of violating environmental norms — still fresh, the MPCB took no chances and sent notices to the builders under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution Act), 1974, and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution Act), 1981.

If the builders don’t furnish the information demanded, MPCB could issue closure notices to their projects and stop water and power supply.

“We don’t have the requisite information about the clearances. We don’t want another controversy,” said a state environment official on condition of anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the media.

Many of the developers said they had not received the notices. Vinod Goenka, chairman, DB Realty, said their project, Orchid Crown, had environmental clearances.

“We are yet to received the MPCB notice; we will submit the documents once we do,” Goenka said.