Navi Mumbai airport gets state eco clearance

The state’s coastal authority on Monday gave its final go-ahead for the new airport proposed at Panvel. On Tuesday, its recommendations will be sent to the Union ministry of environment and forest.

The state’s coastal authority on Monday gave its final go-ahead for the new airport proposed at Panvel. On Tuesday, its recommendations will be sent to the Union ministry of environment and forest.

HT Image

The proposal was cleared by the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) in its meeting.

The clearance came on the back of a verbal war between Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel and Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh last week, as reported in HT.

After Patel criticised the delay in giving the project environmental clearance, Ramesh on Saturday had pointed out that the state’s coastal authority had not yet submitted its recommendations.

CM Ashok Chavan is expected to meet Ramesh in Delhi on Tuesday to discuss the airport.

The state will seek speedier consideration of the project in the Centre’s expert panel meeting, to be held later this month.

“The final Environment Impact Assessment report has submitted a study saying the project won’t have an adverse impact on the environment,” said Valsa Nair Singh, state environment secretary and member of MCZMA.

She added that MCZMA had asked CIDCO to replant mangroves on the site.