DU moves NGT against campus housing project

Builder allowed to cut 156 trees at construction site

Delhi University on Thursday moved the National Green Tribunal ( NGT) against the proposed construction of a group housing project on its North Campus, prompting the green panel to seek replies from the Centre and the civic authorities.

A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel issued notices to the Union ministry of environment and forests, State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority of Delhi, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, Delhi Development Authority, Young Builders Pvt. Ltd, Central Pollution Control Board and others, seeking their replies before August 14.

The varsity in its plea has sought stay and quashing of the environment clearance granted to Young Builders Pvt. Ltd. for construction of the housing project, and constitution of a committee of independent experts to study the project's adverse impact on environment.

The plea alleged that without making any environment impact assessment and taking cognizance of the concern of the University of Delhi, the department of forests issued permission to Young Builders Pvt. Ltd. to remove 156 trees at the construction site.

It claimed that the project should be treated as Category A and as per the Environment Impact Assessment Notification of 2006, it shall be granted clearance by the MoEF and not by SEIAA.

"While granting the impugned environment clearance for the construction of the tallest building in Delhi under the proposed project, the impact that its habitation will bring to the level of air and noise pollution was blatantly ignored by SEIAA inasmuch as the waste disposal considerations were also not taken into account in a serious manner," the plea, filed through advocates Anurag Ojha and Rohan Chawla, said.

It also alleged that the proposed project falls in the silence zone as it is stationed within 100 metres distance from the DU and Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute.