Pharma firm’s request for expansion in Vedanthangal was rejected: Govt

The submission was made on a plea moved by T Vennila, Secretary, Environmental wing of the Naam Thamizhar Katchi, seeking to restrain State Environment Impact Assessment Authority, Tamil Nadu, from issuing environment clearance to Sun Pharama for its expansion plans.

She had submitted that Sun Pharmaceutical’s expansion plan in 17.27 acres was found to be just 3.72 kms away from the tank, where the migratory birds arrive, and also overlaps within the surrounding 5 km radius of the protected area belonging to the Vedanthangal bird sanctuary.

Moreover, the company utilises ‘active pharmaceutical ingredients’ which are listed as hazardous wastes and would spoil the environment around the manufacturing unit and in this case it’s the bird sanctuary, she added and sought to halt its expansion plans.

However, a division bench comprising Justice Vineet Kothari and Justice Krishnan Ramaswamy on recording the submission by the State that the proposal sans clearance from National Board for Wildlife was rejected last month, disposed of the petition after directing the petitioner to approach the Wildlife Board for connected grievances like the State Government’s move to denotify the buffer zone at Vedanthangal bird sanctuary from five-kilometre to three-kilometre as part of maintaining the sanctuary.