NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal has allowed the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to construct a bridge on the Yamuna floodplains under Phase-IV of the project.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel passed the order after noting the recommendations of the Principal Committee which said that the project can be approved subject to certain conditions.
The tribunal does not have any assistance to any rival viewpoints to deal with the present issue so as to go into any possible objection to legality - substantive or procedural, it said.
“Having regard to the nature of the project and opinion of the Principal Committee, we do not see any prima facie objection to the project. The same must, however, comply with legal requirements and procedures,” said the bench. To ensure further safeguards for river Yamuna and its flood plains on account of such activities in future, besides individual evaluation of such projects on environmental yardstick, cumulative impact assessment (CIA) is required to be carried out, it said.
CIA would be able to capture a holistic picture in terms of impact of such future developmental activities and required mitigation measures, it added. The Principal Committee had recommended that all construction activities should be carried out by DMRC with minimum effect on flood plains.