Supreme Court permits Rs 450 cr Naval Hq expansion project in Cantt area

Maritime Operations Centre and Communication Centre to be located there
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday gave go ahead to the Naval Headquarters to commence its Rs 450 crore strategic project ‘Nausena Bhawan, Maritime Operation Centre and Communication Centre’ in Delhi Cantonment area after Central Empowered Committee (CEC) cleared it saying even though the land is in Morphological Ridge area, it has no trees.

The defence ministry through additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati assured a bench of CJI B R Gavai, and Justices K Vinod Chandran and N V Anjaria that the project was of strategic importance and is designed as an environmentally sustainable one. “The ministry of defence has assured that all necessary precautions will be taken by adopting the latest sustainable construction practices,” she said.

CEC after scrutinizing the project documents and visiting the site reported to the SC that the ministry of defence may be permitted to utilize 1.9 hectares of the land falling in Morphological Ridge area for the project subject to depositing Rs 22.5 crore with Delhi Ridge Management Board for ‘plantation, conservation, and development of Delhi Ridge.”

It said the authorities must get environmental clearance from the ministry of environment forest and climate change and plant at least 500 trees of indigenous species in and around the 750 metre perimeter and ensure proper upkeep to facilitate their survival and growth into mature trees. It must implement rainwater harvesting, measures for safe waste disposal and energy conservation, the CEC said.

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