Vedanta University Project gets environment and CRZ clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests: IANS
April 17th, 2010
Update: Indian express mentions that the clearance from the center comes with several conditions. Following is an excerpt.
In its letter to the Foundation dated April 16, the Ministry cleared the project while setting about 50 conditions. As per the condition, the Foundation has to get necessary permission and no-objection certificate from the Ministry as the project is situated less than 200 metres of Balukhanda reserve forest and wildlife sanctuary. Besides, the Foundation cannot draw ground water, restrict local fishermen from fishing and construct in CRZ area. The MoEF letter also makes it clear that the clearance order can be challenged before the National Environment Appellate Authority within a period of 30 days.
Following is from this IANS report at Indiatalkies:
… ‘The union ministry of environment and forests (MOEF) has granted the environment and CRZ clearances to the Vedanta University project,’ Sasanka Patnaik told IANS.
‘We received the letter from the ministry today (Saturday),’ he said.
The Anil Agarwal foundation is promoted by NRI billionaire and chairman of Britain’s Vedanta Resources Anil Agarwal.
It has proposed to set up a multi-disciplinary Vedanta University over 6,000 acres of land near the Konark-Puri marine drive, some 60 km from here.
This not-for-profit university, being built on a global scale, has been envisaged as one-of-its-kind institution for quality higher education and cutting-edge research facility in 95 academic disciplines for 100,000 students.
In March 2009 it had received conditional clearance from the state.
Entry Filed under: Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Puri- Khurda area (1),Environment minister Jairam Ramesh, Congress MP from Andhra, creates hurdles,Vedanta University, Puri
3 Writeup
1. Ashok Kumar Nayak | April 18th, 2010 at 6:41 pm
Welcome decision.
2. alok | May 12th, 2010 at 2:07 pm
After we go through this article on pioneer i dont think its encouraging.The state govt has crossed all barriers so now they face the music with Vedanta from the center..Have a look..
Less than a month after it granted environmental and coastal regulation zone clearances (CRZ) to the Anil Agarwal Foundation for setting up the controversial Vedanta University in Puri in Odisha, the Environment Ministry on Tuesday not only decided to keep the clearances in abeyance but also directed it against proceeding with any related construction and development work.
This, it said, was in view of the complaint it received about alleged irregularities and illegal, unethical and unlawful deeds by the Anil Agarwal Foundation. In fact, the Ministry has also acknowledged that it itself had not appropriately considered the serious objections raised during the Odisha Coastal Zone Management Authority meeting while granting the two clearances.
In a letter written to the foundation on Tuesday, the Ministry said the clearances will be kept in abeyance till a final decision is taken by it. “In the meantime, you are directed not to proceed for any construction/development works till a detailed examination of the all the issues raised in the complaint is done by the Expert Appraisal Committee of the Ministry,†the letter stated.
As things stand, it was just on April 16 that the Ministry had gone ahead with granting environment and CRZ clearances to the foundation for the university which is proposed to come up on the Puri-Konark marine drive on a 7,000-acre stretch of land. The Ministry had granted the clearances even as it put up a number of conditions given its proximity to the Balukhanda reserve forest and wildlife sanctuary.
The latest move of the Environment Ministry comes even as the Vedanta University project has been mired in controversies. While it has been strongly opposed by the locals, it has also seen the Opposition train its guns on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik following the Lok Pal Justice PK Patra’s recommendations for a vigilance probe into the entire land deal, especially, the handing over of the Jaganath temple trust land.
The Lok Pal had recommended a moratorium on the project till the time the foundation complied with the legal provisions pointed out by the Ministry of Company Affairs for conversion of its status from a private to a public company. The Lok Pal had termed the State Government’s acquisition of land for the foundation’s illegal since it wasn’t a public company under the Companies Act.
Meanwhile, the vice-president of Vedanta, Ajit Samal, said they would wait till a final decision is taken. “A case is also going on in the High Court. The verdict is expected soon. We have not done anything illegal,†Samal said, adding that the group has executed a number of successful projects in Odisha.
3. kumar | May 12th, 2010 at 2:27 pm
On may 11th 2010 , cynical environment minister asked the Anil Agarwal Foundation to stall the construction of the proposed Vedanta University at Puri.
This sheer biased and motivated political decision. For last 70 years orissa is ruined by the centre. We should not bug down by this anymore, we should stand united and against the centre partiality towards orissa. People of orissa who are protesting against the vedandatna univertsity should be little wise and have self esteemed. when it comes to grant big projects in andra, tamilnadu, kerala, karnataka all these objections doesn’t come form centre but when it comes to a impoverished state like orissa there are enormous roadblocks created by center. The day is not too far unlike various north eastern states who are proclaiming anti India sentiments, ORISSA will also do that, we will not allow the flag of India to be hosted if this type of partiality is meted out to us .ENOUGH is ENOUGH.