Lavasa hits back at Jairam Ramesh

New Delhi/Mumbai, Nov 29 (IBNS) Lavasa, a company backed by Hindustan Construction Company (HCC), on Monday hit back at the union Ministry of Environment (MoE) led by Jairam Ramesh for showcausing it on “more-than-stipulated” constructions near Pune, saying the latter acted without jurisdiction and in haste without following the principles of natural justice.

The MoE show cause notice was slapped on Lavasa Corporation for carrying out more-than-stipulated construction in the chic USD 31 billion township being developed 60 km from Pune.

The government move threatening to raze the construction since 2006 is the latest in a series of green activism zeal shown by the environment ministry of India under the leadership of minister Jairam Ramesh.

In a showcasue reply on Monday, Lavasa said the ministry was acting under pressure from activists like Medha Patkar, whom it dubbed a political activist.

The summary of the reply to the showcause notice by the ministry says: “The show cause notice was issued in haste. It is ex parte without following any principles of natural justice. No hearing was given though these allegations had been made to the minister seven months back. No notice was issued before the drastic order.”

Lavasa said the MoE acted under the pressure of “political” activists like Medha Patkar and “the effort through the show cause notice appears to be to stall the IPO of Lavasa”

Lavasa was planning a Rs 2,000 crore IPO, reports said.

It said haste could have been shown before the show cause notice was served on the company on Nov 26.

“It was informed to political activists like Medha Patkar and Prakash Amdedkar who in turn informed the media citing the minister himself that he has given a status quo on the first phase of the project,” it said.

Lavasa said “the action is without jurisdiction.”

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