Thiruvananthapuram: In a written statement before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the central government has said the semi-speed silver-speed railroad project does not require previous environmental permits.
Affidavit was submitted before NGT on behalf of the central government by Dr.
Muralius Krishna, a scientist from the Regional Office of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Moefcc) from Bengaluru.
In accordance with EIA notification in 2006, the train or train project is not included.
Notifications issued by Moefcc on September 14, 2006 included 39 projects and development activities including airports, ports, national highways, and buildings.
This does not include trains or train projects.
Therefore, the Silverline project does not require environmental permits, said Affidavit.
Affidavit further showed the Supreme Court incident to command NGT looking for environmental permissions for the Rail Metro Noida-Greater Noida project.
Meanwhile, the Kerala Rail Development Corporation (K-Rail) has appointed a consortium, led by EQMS India Ltd., to conduct a comprehensive environmental impact assessment for the Silverline project and request it to complete the study and send reports within 14 months.
The Silverline Rail project was imagined as a complete green project, K-Rail officials said in the previous written statement submitted before NGT.
They also stated that this project was funded by foreign financial institutions that had a strict system to monitor the environment and the social cause of the project.
K-Rail states that it will get all the necessary legal permits from MoeFCC on time.
Silverline is an ambitious project that aims to travel 530 km from Kasagagod to Thiruvananthapuram in less than four hours.
The project faces criticism from actracts of activists and the public who consider it illogical and unreasonable, given the adverse effects that will occur in the life of thousands of evictees and the large financial burden will bring the country.