GMR Greenfield airport; NGT clears legal hurdle

Visakhapatnam: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has made clear it will not withdraw the environmental clearance (EC) it granted to the proposed Greenfield international airport in Bhogapuram near here.

“We do not find any reason to set aside the EC, but we are modifying the water requirement as mentioned in the EC order on lines of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) Report,” the bench said in response to an appeal from Sridevi Datla. She had argued that the environmental clearance given by NGT to GMR International Airports to set up the greenfield airport was vitiated on several technical as well legal grounds.

The judgement by the NGT bench Thursday also stated: “If the project proponent requires more quantity of water than permitted as per the judgement, the company will have to get a modification of the conditions by applying to the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). In turn, the MoEF&CC has to consider the same and take an appropriate decision after due diligence.”

The judgement was pronounced through video conference. Counsel for respondents GM Syed Nurullah Sheriff for the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, and senior counsel Atmaram NS Nadkarni along with state counsel Madhuri Donti Reddy presented their arguments.