Thiruvananthapuram: EC repeal bares issues in impact assessments

While the NGT has cancelled the environmental clearance (EC) issued for the expansion of the mixed land use (master plan) project by Dragonstone Realty Private Limited at Technopark phase-III campus and slapped a penalty of Rs 15 crore on the project proponent, the state expert appraisal committee (SEAC) and state environment impact assessment authority (SEIAA) may have to tackle a few technical concerns now.

As per the order, NGT has directed SEIAA to examine the proposal afresh and ensure that the project proponent conducts a cumulative impact study for the entire phase III with a built-up area of 2,71,164.4 sqm.

This means a cumulative impact assessment for the entire project has to be done and mitigation measures that may have to be in place in the project area where construction is completed have to be identified to ensure that adverse environmental impacts, if any, are remediated.