Flyover cleared as steel not on green list

A steel flyover is not in the list of infrastructure projects that needs clearance from the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA). Despite this, SEIAA cleared the steel flyover project, from Basaveshwara circle to Esteem Mall, over Hebbal flyover.

Ramachandra, SEIAA member secretary, told DH, “The endorsement was given because the steel flyover is not in our purview. The BDA applied to us and we scrutinised the SEIAA rules. The list of infrastructure projects does not mention steel flyovers. Since we have nothing to do with it, the clearance was given.”

However, the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) wants to approach the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) for a relook at the project. But this may not be possible as the state government has set November 1 as the date to lay the foundation stone for the flyover project.

“If the project was not under the SEIAA purview, the file should have been sent back and referred to the tree committee of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

But all that has not been done,” said Ramachandra, also secretary of the Department of Forests, Ecology and Environment.

Some not so happy

The decision has not gone down well with a few members of the forest department and SEIAA.

“We are approaching the MoEF to take a look into this and add steel flyovers and all types of infrastructure works in the list so that such projects can be stopped. We agree that what has happened is not correct and 812 trees will be lost,” said a SEIAA member on condition of anonymity.

Prof T V Ramachandra of the Centre for Ecological Sciences, IISc, said that environmental clearance is a must. “What BDA has quoted — that under sub-item (ii) of Section 2 of the MoEF notification, 2013, that environmental clearance was not required — is a misguided statement.

The project needs environmental clearance considering the damage in the region.”  

He added that all new infrastructure projects and expansions need environmental clearance and if a steel flyover is not in the list of projects before the SEIAA, the file should have been referred to MoEF as per the rules.

Leo F Saldanha, coordinator, Environment Support Group, said it also qualifies as an area development project according to the Environment Impact Assessment Notification, 2006, under the Environment Protection Act, 1986.

“This means that no work can commence until and unless the project is approved by the Environmental Clearance Authority, and that too based on a comprehensive environment impact assessment and environmental public hearing,” he said.

‘Extension violates buffer zone norms’

The plan to extend the contentious steel flyover from Hebbal to Esteem Mall, over the existing flyover on the Hebbal lake would be in violation of the provisions of the Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority (KLCDA) Act, 2014 as well as buffer zone guidelines issued by the Karnataka High Court and the National Green Tribunal (NGT).