HC sets aside environment nod for Tata's Chandigarh housing project

New Delhi, April 12: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday set aside the grant of various environment approvals given to the Tata Camelot Housing project near Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh.

A division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice R.S. Endlaw asked the Punjab government to reconsider all the approval granted by various state authorities for the housing project.

The court's order came on PILs seeking quashing of sanction and approval granted for the project in Kansal village near the lake, since, according to a survey the project falls within the catchment area of Sukhna Lake and it was declared a reserved forest area.

The Rs 1,800 crore venture was proposed on 53.39 acres of land, which would have around 2,100 flats in 19 towers, ranging between 12 and 35 storeys near the Chandigarh Capitol Complex.

The project site is about 123 metres from the Sukhna wildlife sanctuary, while the Sukhna Lake is just 1,500 metres away.

The pleas said if the land and its surrounding areas are allowed to be urbanised, "it will result in the degradation of the habitat and disturb thousands of migratory birds which come every year to the Sukhna Lake".