Indiabulls Real Estate will have to seek environment clearance from the Maharashtra State Environment Impact Assessment Authority before starting construction at its IT Park project in south-east Mumbai.
The Maharahstra Pollution Control Board in its stop work order issued on June 17 had said that it would take stringent legal action against the company, including prosecuting it for violation of environment laws.
MPCB said Indiabulls had started the construction work at the IT Park project in violation of consent to establish and without complying with its directions issued on January 27.
"The so-called clarification given by the state environment department is not pertaining to your construction activity at plot no 612 and 613 of TPS Mahim, Mumbai, but it is pertaining to the plot bearing CS no 841 and 882, Lower Parel division (G Ward).
"Thus, you have misrepresented to the authorities in respect of the exemptions stated to be taken from the environment department and MPCB," the state pollution control board had said in its stop work order.
MPCB further clarified that Indiabulls had applied for environment clearance for both the plots on November 23, 2009.
However, till date no environment clearance was granted as per the report of the sub regional officer of MPCB dated June 6.
MPCB said by starting construction work on the IT Park, Indiabulls has violated condition number 12 in the consent issued on November 3, 2009 and has also violated the directions issued on January 27
where it was mentioned that the company cannot undertake additional construction without obtaining environment clearances.
The banker for Indiabulls has also been directed to forfeit the bank guarantee of Rs 10 lakh submitted by it for due performance/compliance of MPCB's directions of January 27.
Radheshyam Mopalwar, MPCB's member secretary told Business Standard: "The stop work notice has been issued after MPCB had recently received complaints that Indiabulls was carrying out additional construction at the IT Park site.
"Our staff visited the site and only after that the stop work notice was issued. Indiabulls needs to seek environment clearance and submit it to the MPCB before they can start construction as per the rules."
Vipul Bansal, CEO, Indiabulls Real Estate Ltd, said: "We have received a stop work notice pertaining to the residential project at Plot No 612 and 613 of TPS Mahim, Mumbai from MPCB on Tuesday."