New Delhi, Nov 14: The Supreme Court on Friday sought
replies from the Centre and Gujarat government on a petition
seeking to scrap Rs 7,400-crore multi-product Special Economic
Zone at Mundra in Gujarat, being developed by the Adani Group.
A group of fishermen from the region has challenged the
order of the Gujarat High Court, which refused to entertain
their plea that the project was not environmentally feasible
and that the developers were filling up the creeks.
After a brief hearing, a Bench comprising Chief Justice
K G Balakrishnan and Justice P Sathasivam issued notices to
the two governments, apart from Gujarat Maritime Board, Mundra
Ports and others on the contention that the project would
affect their livelihood as well as flora and fauna in the
region.
Senior Advocate Soli J Sorabjee, appearing for the
fishermen, said an independent inquiry should be conducted in
the issue before giving the project go-ahead.
However, Senior Advocate Rohington Nariman, appearing for
the opposite side said that the project was in accordance
with the law and on five occasions, similar plea was refused
by the High Court.
On behalf of the Mundra Ports, he gave assurance that
the creeks were not being filled as alleged by the fishermen.
Mundra SEZ, established under the SEZ Act of 2005, is
proposed to come up in about 6,000 acres of land with a total
investment of Rs 7,400 crore.
The Government of India and the Gujarat government had
accorded approval to the Adani Group to develop, operate and
maintain an SEZ at Mundra in Gujarat on February 12, 2004.
The petitioners pleaded that the project was cleared
without assessing the impact of the scheme on the livelihood
of thousands of fishermen living in the area.
Bureau Report
