Pune: The National Green Tribunal ( NGT ) bench in Pune has disposed of as withdrawn an application that challenged the Nov 16, 2019, environmental clearance to PMC 's Mula, Mutha and Mula-Mutha river rejuvenation project — also known as the riverfront development project. The move comes after lawyer Aniruddha Kulkarni, representing the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), told the bench of Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh and expert member Vijay Kulkarni on Thursday that it has granted an amended environmental clearance to the project. Kulkarni told TOI, "After NGT's last order on Aug 20, SEIAA was given four weeks to decide the clearance.
SEIAA considered the same and gave the amended clearance after Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) notified to it the compliance of 18 conditions put forth by the authority. PMC can now issue tenders for further work orders." Lawyer Rahul Garg, representing PMC, told TOI, "The bench noted that in view of the amended environmental clearance to the project, the application filed by the petitioners stands infructuous.
" "We had to withdraw the application now that the amended clearance has been granted. We feel this is very unfortunate for Pune and its citizens," architect-activist Sarang Yadwadkar, who along with Pushkar Kulkarni had filed the plea, told TOI. NGT had on Nov 29, 2022, refused to set aside the Nov 16, 2019, environmental clearance on the grounds that the project was "in public interest" but asked PMC to get an amen.