NGT suspends environmental clearance for Sipcot project in Gummidipoondi

CHENNAI: The southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has suspended environmental clearance obtained for an industrial estate project proposed by the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (Sipcot) in Soorapoondi and Vaniamallee near Gummidipoondi.

The order was issued after the NGT found that Sipcot segmented the large project into smaller parts to evade the complete requirements of the environmental laws and to avoid detailed scrutiny or more stringent environmental requirements.

Hearing a case filed by a few residents of the villages involved in the project, the bench comprising judicial member Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member Satyagopal Korlapati said that the procedural lapses by Sipcot raise concerns about the adequacy of the environmental assessment process.

“Despite the earlier environmental clearance being kept in abeyance and requiring further studies, Sipcot not only failed to address these directives but also proceeded with the amended TOR (terms of reference) without accounting for the pendency of the previous clearance,” the bench noted.

Observing that the omission of crucial information that will ensure the assessment of cumulative and broader environmental impacts underscores the lack of a comprehensive and transparent approach, the bench opined that the act brings into focus the need for a detailed Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) to evaluate the full scope of environmental effects of the proposed project.

“If the project proponent has a proposal to have a phase III of the project, it would be appropriate for the Sipcot to apply for the said project too and conduct a cumulative impact assessment which would avoid segmentation. After the study is conducted, the project may be commenced in a phased manner,” the order added.