NGT admits matter challenging Environment Clearance granted to Adani Enterprises Ltd’s Greenfield Copper Refinery Plant (1 Million Tonnes Per Annum Capacity) in Mundra, Gujarat

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The NGT on 31st August 2020, has admitted a case challenging the Environment Clearance granted to Adani Enterprises Ltd. for the setting up of a Greenfield Copper Refinery Plant with a capacity of 1 Million Tonnes per Annum located in the villages of Siracha and Navinal, in Mundra, Kutch, Gujarat on alleged violations of the EIA Notification, 2006 and the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.

The Petition has been filed by Kheti Vikas SevaTrust, a Gujarat based farmers collective, seeking quashing of the Environment Clearance alleging various illegalities and infirmities in the grant of the clearance under the EIA Notification, 2006. The Appellant organization is being represented by Advocate Rahul Choudhary and Advocate Kanika Sood.
The Petition states that 102.38 hectares out of the 253 hectares of the project site,is forest land, and that the existence of full grown trees on the land has been concealed by the Project Proponent in the EIA Report. Further, the EIA Report failed to consider the concerns raised by the farmers and fishermen living in and around the project site that have been historically affected due to the activities of the Adani Power Plant and the Mundra Port. The Petition further states that the Project Proponent failed to carry out a cumulative impact assessment of the thermal power plants located within a distance of 2km as well as the Mundra Port and other allied activities as per the requirement in the Technical Guidance Manual for the Metallurgical Industry prepared by ILFS Ecosmart Limited Hyderabad, for the preparation of the EIA Report. Thus, the Petition states that the EIA Report suffers from various deficiencies, and the Expert Appraisal Committee also failed to properly appraise the environmental impacts of the project including concerns raised by the affected persons in the public hearing.

The Bench comprising of Justice Sheo Kumar Singh and Dr.Satyawan Singh Garbyal took cognisance of the issue and issued notices to the Respondents.
The matter is listed next in October, 2020.