Himachal Lafarge plant now fails environment test

In yet another instance of a proposed industrial activity falling victim to environmental concerns, the National Environmental Appellate Authority has struck down the clearance granted to French cement major Lafarge’s plans to set up a cement plant and an accompanying limestone mining project in Himachal Pradesh.Quashing down the environmental clearance given to the Rs 900-crore integrated project in June last year, the single-member authority pulled up the company, for claiming incorrectly that the mining area was ‘uncultivable’, and the Expert Appraisal Committee and the Environment Ministry for clearing the project without making a sound assessment of the adverse impacts.The authority’s ruling followed a site visit made by its only present member in June this year.“Taking into consideration all the relevant aspects, the authority is convinced that on environmental and social considerations, it is neither desirable to mine the Telehan village nor put cement plant at Gangher,” says the order dated August 30 but made public on Monday. “Accordingly, the environmental clearance for setting up of integrated cement plant at village DPF Ghanger and captive limestone mine … by M/s Lafarge India Private Ltd is quashed imposing no cost to respondents,” it said.