SC lifts suspension on environmental clearance granted for Mopa airport

The apex court lifted the ban on the construction of an international airport at Mopa, Goa, which was stayed a year back owing to the impact of the construction on the ecology there.

New Delhi:The Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the path for construction of an international airport at Mopa in Goa by lifting the suspension on environmental clearance (EC) granted to the project spread over 2,131 acres.

The top court had in March last year suspended the EC granted for the greenfield airport and had directed the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) to revisit the decision in light of its impact on the ecology there.

While lifting the suspension on EC, a bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta noted the assurance tendered on behalf of concessionaire GMR Goa International Airport Limited that it would adopt a "zero-carbon programme" both in the construction and operational phases of the airport.

"We accept the undertaking of the concessionaire and issue a direction for compliance," the bench said, adding, "The suspension on the EC shall accordingly stand lifted."

The top court-appointed the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) to oversee compliance with the directions issued by it in the matter.