Navi Mumbai airport gets environment clearance

Mumbai: The environment ministry of the Central government, which had objected to the site of proposed Navi Mumbai airport, has given the in-principle approval for the site, said Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh.

Deshmukh was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of ceremony to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd. The ministry gave the clearance and has asked for certain clarifications, which would be submitted very soon, Deshmukh said.

In March this year, the environment ministry had refused to give clearance to the site of Navi Mumbai airport, which is located at Ulve near Panvel, as around 115 hectare (7.3 per cent) of the total land is covered by the mangroves and suggested the project should be shifted to alternative location.

However, City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco), which is a nodal agency for the project, had strongly objected to the environment ministry's suggestion to shift the project as Cidco has nearly 78 per cent land out of 2,053 hectare required for project in possession of the Cidco.

Subsequently, Cidco has also shown willingness to appoint the agencies like IIT-Bombay and Pune-based Central Water Research Station to asses the damage, which might be caused due to airport project to mangroves forest, and mitigation measures which can be undertaken.