Judgement of the National Green Tribunal regarding laying of pipeline beneath the seabed near seashore in inter tidal area, Kuranga, Taluka Dwarka, District Jamnagar, Gujarat, 04/10/2017
Judgement of the National Green Tribunal (Western Zone Bench, Pune) in the matter of Subhaniya Ismail Osman Vs M/s RSPL Limited & Others dated 04/10/2017 regarding laying of pipeline by M/s RSPL Limited beneath the seabed near seashore in intertidal area at Kuranga, Tal. Dwarka, District Jamnagar, Gujarat. RSPL Ltd have been granted consolidated Environment Clearance and CRZ Clearance on 12th November, 2015 to its greenfield Soda Ash Plant along with captive Power Plant but has violated specific conditions in respect of CRZ Clearance by undertaking underwater rock blasting and using heavy machinery in the Turtle nesting area according to the Applicant Subhaniya Ismail Osman, a local fisherman.
The Court finds no reason for grant of interim injunction and finds no irreparable injury to the coastal environment including the marine environment due to the work in question. However, as a precautionary measure, NGT Western Zone Bench directs National Institute of Oceanography, Mumbai to depute a Senior Scientist to visit the site, carry out local investigation and report to us its findings regarding adverse impact, if any, on marine/coastal environment due to the work of laying of the underground pipeline in intertidal and subtidal area at the project site at Kuranga, Taluka Dwarka, District Devbhumi Dwarka undertaken by RSPL Limited.