The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has decided to take action against Chirayu Medical College and Hospital ― a private medical college in Madhya Pradesh that has come up inside the catchment area of the historic Upper Lake of Bhopal.
In a letter written to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan last month, a copy of which is with The Hindu , Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh informed Mr. Chauhan that since the project had violated environmental norms and had come up within five km of a “protected area”, the Ministry would take “necessary action” against it.
The Chirayu Medical College and Hospital, located on the outskirts of Bhopal, has already started operating and has plans to expand by offering courses in dental sciences, management and engineering.
ADVERTISEMENT
The institution's wastages flow into a “nalla” which further empties out in the upper lake.
Mr. Ramesh informed the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister that the college had been established in “areas reserved for green belts in the catchments of Bhoj lake in violation of conditions imposed by the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority”.
He further wrote, “the SEIAA and the State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) have recommended action against the project proponent but no such action has been taken by the state government. Further, the Standing Committee of the National Board of Wildlife has yet to approve the proposal since the location of the medical college and hospital is within five km of a protected area”.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Union minister confirmed to The Hindu that since there was no response from the state government over the matter, the ministry would go ahead with its decision to take action against the said institution.