The Times of India Delhi 13th Feb 2008 Page 6
The land near Safdarjung Airport as an alternate site for the Games village and an area near Anand Vihar bus depot for a Metro yard — suggested ecologists opposing the ongoing construction for Commonwealth Games near Yamuna river on Tuesday as alternate sites to Delhi High Court. Claiming before a division bench comprising Justice A K Sikri and Justice Rekha Sharma that the Delhi Development Authority ignored Safdarjung Airport as an alternative site for the proposed Commonwealth Village Games village, the petitioners maintained that an Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) had recommended Safdarjung Airport instead of the area near Yamuna riverbank.
The land near Safdarjung Airport as an alternate site for the Games village and an area near Anand Vihar bus depot for a Metro yard — suggested ecologists opposing the ongoing construction for Commonwealth Games near Yamuna river on Tuesday as alternate sites to Delhi High Court. Claiming before a division bench comprising Justice A K Sikri and Justice Rekha Sharma that the Delhi Development Authority ignored Safdarjung Airport as an alternative site for the proposed Commonwealth Village Games village, the petitioners maintained that an Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) had recommended Safdarjung Airport instead of the area near Yamuna riverbank.
It is on record that the EAC of the MoEF had on finding serious environment problems with the site in the riverbed, suggested the Safdarjung Airport as an alternative, the lawyer for the petitioners said. He also told the Bench that the said area near the airport consists of 200 acres of land and was not being used for any purpose. Besides being suitable it already was equipped with a sports complex, the petitioners argued, wondering how a planning body like the DDA ignore the suitability of the Safdarjung Airport and its environ for developing the games village.
The counsel for petitioners pointed out that existing connectivity between Safdarjung Airport and Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium made it a suitable venue for an athlete’s village since there was a ring rail between the two. ‘‘The road connection is also straight and is less than 15 minutes in distance,’’ he added. Pressing for a shift in Games site to save the river, the petitioners pleaded that this would ensure the riverbed would not be damaged and the games village would come up in a raised, safe, secure and in an undisturbed site and truly central location in the city. For a new Metro line to feed the Games Village, the petitioners have suggested vacant land in Anand Vihar area where they said a Metro rail depot, yard and residential complex for the DMRC personnel can come up.
With Thanks from the Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd.
©All rights reserved with the Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd.
With Thanks from the Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd.
©All rights reserved with the Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd.
For any query:- legalpoint@aol.in
No comments:
Post a Comment