Lavasa stop work notice stays

New Delhi : The Indian Environment Ministry on Tuesday reinstated its stop-work notice on the high profile Lavasa township project near Pune.

The Bombay High Court on Dec 7 had stayed the ministry?s order to stop all construction on the project and had asked it to give a hearing to the Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) group-backed Lavasa Corporation.

Slapping back the notice after a formal hearing on Dec. 9, the ministry said it will hear the company again on Dec 22 and take a final decision by the month-end.

Citing “lack of clarity” on the details and “large-scale environmental degradation” in the region, the ministry directed the firm to “stop project activities going on at the site […] till the final analysis is undertaken”.

Lavasa had to stop work on its USD 31 billion township being developed 60 km from Pune after the Indian Ministry of Environment and Forests had slammed it for not obtaining a clearance as per the Environment Protection Act, reports said.

The showcause notice, dated Nov. 25, 2010, had also asked why certain structures built after 2004 should not be razed and had ordered a stay on all construction. Lavasa had challenged the notice and the stay order in the Bombay High Court.