Ahmedabad

Union Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar today issued a list of 35 proposals of environmental clearance from Gujarat which were allegedly stalled for long by the erstwhile Congress led UPA government at centre but cleared by him.

The list includes several important proposals including the one of Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd related to the diversion of around 134 hectare of forest land for construction of Kutch branch canal and such clearance for GSPL’s gas pipe line between Mehsana in Gujarat to Bhatinda in Punjab via Ajmer in Rajasthan. The list also included the project of laying of IOCL underground crude oil pipeline in the vicinity of the Sloth Bear Sanctuary in north Gujarat.

The proposal of removal of old manganese dumps outside Jambughoda wildlife sanctuary and a rail track doubling project in North Gujarat near Ambaji.

On the occasion, Mr. Javadekar alleged that the UPA government had intentionally stalled the clearance proposal to scuttle the development of Gujarat under the then Narendra Modi government.

‘The then union environment minister Mrs. Jayanti Natrajan had even asked for Rs. 100 crore guarantee for clearance to a 800 MW power project. Such guarantee had never been asked for. I have also removed that condition,’ the minister said.

He claimed that his ministry has also given clearances to many proposals of the non-BJP ruled states including Karnataka.

– DeshGujarat