Lavasa questions environment ministry notice timing, motive

NEW DELHI - Replying to the environment ministry’s show cause notice for violating green laws at its Lake City project near Pune, Lavasa Monday said the ministry acted under pressure from social activists with an “oblique motive of causing huge irreparable financial loss” to the company.

In its 27-page reply to the ministry, the company said the show cause notice was “vitiated by malafides and arbitrariness and breach of principles of natural justice”.

The company alleged the ministry has also suppressed material facts and chose to act at the instance and behest of Medha Patkar and others in haste and in a high-handed arbitrary manner.

The ministry slapped a notice Nov 26 asking the company, a unit of Hindustan Construction Company, to reply within 15 days, why the unauthorised structures erected without any environment clearance should not immediately be demolished.

The Lake City project, spread across 25,000 acres, is situated around 190 km from Mumbai and some 65 km from Pune.

“The timing of your show cause notice also speaks volumes about your motives as the company was about to open its IPO next month. The speed and manner in which the notice has been issued shows that there is an ulterior behind this entire exercise,” it said.