Puri airport plan runs into rough weather as MoEF defers approval

THE proposed international airport at Puri has run into rough weather with the Ministry of Forest, Environment and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) once again deferring its decision to grant environmental clearance.

- HEMANT KUMAR ROUT @Bhubaneswar

Flagging serious environmental concerns, the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) of the ministry has asked the state government for a detailed study on the habitat and migration route of olive ridley turtles as well as Irrawaddy dolphins besides obtaining the coastal regulation clearance.

The state government had sought the approval of the FAC for diversion of 27.887 hectare of forest land in Sipasarubali and Sandhapur areas under Brahmagiri tehsil for construction of Shree Jagannath International Airport, to be built at a cost of ₹5,631 crore, following recommendation of the regional empowered committee in October last year.