On January 18, 2019, the court had ordered status quo on the matter.The Supreme Court also clarified that the no other court or tribunal shall entertain any challenge made to the expert panel report that will be submitted to it.The division bench comprising justices D Y Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta also said if the expert panel allows the construction to proceed it will impose additional conditions, which in its view would adequately protect the concerns about the “terrestrial ecosystems in this judgment. The EAC would be at liberty to lay down appropriate conditions concerning air, water, noise, land, biological and socio-economic environment”.The court passed the order in the appeals filed by Hanuman Laxman Aroskar and Federation of Rainbow Warriors questioning the environmental clearance given to Mopa airport.While stating that hiding significant components of the environment from scrutiny is not an acceptable modality to secure project approvals, the court said that there was serious lacuna in regard to disclosures and appraisal on this aspect of the controversy. PANAJI: The Supreme Court on Friday suspended the environmental clearance given by the Union ministry of environment and forests to the greenfield international airport at Mopa and directed the expert appraisal committee to give its fresh recommendations within a month.Castigating the Goa government for “hiding significant component” of the environmental aspects from scrutiny to secure project approval, the Supreme Court said there could be “no gambles on environment”.But to strike a balance between the development of infrastructure of an airport and environment preservation, the Supreme Court felt it appropriate to issue time-bound directions to the expert panel and asked the state government, the project proponent and the environment ministry to file before it the panel’s recommendations for it to pass appropriate orders.Till the fresh exercise is carried out, the Supreme Court has suspended the environmental clearance granted on October 28, 2015.
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