Green impact downplayed to fast-track housing plan?

NEW DELHI: While the

redevelopment

of seven

south Delhi colonies

was embroiled in controversy over a proposal to fell more than

16

,000 trees,

researchers

and residents have now found several other

lapses

in the way the projects’

environmental impact

was

assessed

.

According to an environment ministry office memorandum (OM) of 2010, all inter-linked and integrated projects should have a common environment impact assessment (EIA).

But this appears to have been violated for the

seven

general pool residential accommodation (GPRA) projects being constructed.

One project, one green assessment
“Integrated and inter-linked projects having multi-sectoral components shall prepare a common EIA report, covering impact of each of the component in a comprehensive manner after obtaining terms of reference (TORs) from each of the sectoral expert appraisal committees (EACs),” states the OM, adding that after proposals relating to various components have been considered … these proposals will be processed on individual files for obtaining simultaneous approval of the competent authority.” This cumulative assessment hasn’t happened for the seven projects that submitted separate EIA reports and got environmental clearances separately.

Legal researchers Manju Menon and Kanchi Kohli point out that “EIA notification requires projects to reveal cumulative impacts with other existing or planned activities in the vicinity. These colonies comprise a contiguous area of 571 acres of government housing, north and south of the Ring Road near AIIMS. This region is one of Delhi’s best-kept landscapes.”

They said it would have been useful if the government engaged competent agencies to conduct a full geospatial survey and develop a detailed plan for the region, keeping in mind the multiple priorities of housing, hospitability and heritage in a growing city.

“This would have helped generate an integrated urban design before embarking on construction,” they said.

No certificate from NDMC on water supply, no traffic plan
But there are other discrepancies too. For example, when an application is made for environmental clearance, the environment ministry’s expert appraisal committee prepares terms of reference (TOR) for the project which need to be met or incorporated in the environment impact assessment report to be prepared by the project proponent.

In case of Netaji Nagar and Naoroji Nagar projects, however, some important conditions stipulated in the TOR were not incorporated in the EIA. The environment clearance was issued without these conditions being met. The Netaji Nagar GPRA TOR issued in August 2017 states that the project’s EIA should include an acceptance from NDMC on proposal to source water along with a certificate from NDMC showing they have a clearance from the Central Ground Water Authority for it.

It also said that a traffic impact analysis (TIA) shall be carried out, followed by a detailed traffic management plan approved by government agencies. Environmental clearance was granted to the project in November 2017 without NBCC submitting these conditional requirements.

“We find that the entire process of impact assessment and granting of environmental clearance is rushed. These important details are yet to be submitted and are not in public domain,” Kohli said.

The seven projects require about 15,799 kilo litres per day (KLD) of fresh water from NDMC and DJB. Even though this is a fraction of Delhi’s total water demand, experts seek clarity on how this will be sourced or rationed since Delhi is not able to meet its current water demand of 1,500 MGD — it supplies only 1,200 MGD.

‘No flora or fauna of ecological value’
The EIAs also ignore local biodiversity, say experts. For example, the Sarojini Nagar EIA states there are some trees on the “periphery” of the project site, “thorny bushes” and “no ecologically important flora or fauna species”. But Neha Sinha, wildlife conservationist who recently undertook a quick

biodiversity

survey, found 26 bird species, 11 butterfly species and seven insect species.