CHENNAI: The State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC), which aids the State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) on environmental evaluation of projects, has recommended environmental clearance to Vietnamese electric vehicle manufacturer Vinfast Auto India Private Limited to set up the Phase-1 of its electric vehicle manufacturing plant in Sipcot Industrial estate in Silanatham in Thoothukudi.
SEIAA is likely to grant the clearance soon based on the recommendations of the SEAC. Vinfast announced investments worth Rs 16,000 crore to build the integrated EV facility, with a capacity to produce 50,000 vehicles per annum, during the third edition of the Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet. The Phase-1 of the plant will come up at Rs 425 crore.
The SEAC has put forth 15 additional conditions before recommending the proposal to grant environment clearance, subject to norms stipulated by the Ministry of Environment and Climate change.
Vinfast had earlier withdrawn its initial application for green clearance on May 27 since it had submitted it under category B1 of the Environment Impact Assessment notification of 2016. A new proposal was submitted on June 13 under the B2 category.
Under the conditions put forth by SEAC, the project, to be developed in a built-up area of 96,432.06 sq m, should comply with green building norms and get minimum IGBC gold rating. Sewage treatment plant should be installed on 10-year Build, Own, Operate, and Transfer basis.
Other conditions include providing 50% of solar roof coverage in the proposed buildings; generating 50% of green energy out of the total power requirement for the unit, build a pond of appropriate size in the earmarked OSR land which will act as a insurance against low rain period and also recharge of groundwater in the surrounding area.
