Pragati Maidan redevelopment: NGT seeks factual, action taken report from panel

The National Green Tribunal has sought a report from a committee on re-development of Pragati Maidan exhibition complex here after a plea sought to stop of construction there. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel sought the report within a month from a committee comprising officials from the Ministry of Environment and Forest, CPCB and DPCC.

The tribunal passed the order after noting that the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) wrote a letter dated November 12, 2018, to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) pointing out deficiencies in the development of the project and seeking remedial action by DPCC, though no such action has been taken. "In view of the above, before we consider the matter, we find it necessary to require a factual and action taken report from a joint committee comprising the MoEF, CPCB and DPCC," the bench said.

The tribunal had last year cleared the project and refused to quash the environmental clearance. The NGT had dismissed a plea which also sought quashing of the environmental clearance granted to the India Trade Promotion Organisation that manages the exhibition complex. The green panel had said doubts have been expressed by the applicant on the reliability of the studies undertaken and the credibility of the Environment Impact Assessment Report, but they are not supported by better materials and the plea deserves to be rejected. It had said the examination and scrutiny of the process do not reveal any substantial deficiency so as to vitiate the environmental clearance.

The tribunal, however, had said that it was necessary for the Union Environment Ministry and other regulatory authorities to ensure that each of the conditions of the environmental clearance is meticulously complied with by monitoring the project closely. It had directed that physical inspections of the project site be held periodically to ensure that the conditions of the environmental clearance comply with both during the construction and the operational phases.

The NGT was hearing a plea filed by environment activist Verhagen Khanna for stopping the construction of Integrated Exhibition cum Convention Centre and taking further remedial action against illegal construction. The redevelopment plan is to develop a total of 3,26,065 sqm of built-up area, including 1,19,445 sqm of exhibition space, a convention centre with a seating capacity of 7,000 people with a number of different-sized meeting rooms, space for public circulation in phase-I.

(With inputs from agencies.)