Environment ministry to inspect Mundra port

The committee will look at whether the construction of Mundra port was carried out prior to receiving environmental clearance and whether roads and railways comply with environmental conditions and CRZ (coastal regulation zone) clearance.

Naran Gadhavi, president, Kheti Vikas Seva Trust, a trust set up by local farmers, said: “Since the area is an ecologically secure area, Adani was told not to disturb the creek, the sand dunes, mangroves, among other conditions but they did everything that the ministry told them not to do.”

Bharat Patel, general secretary, Machimar Adhikar Sangharsh Sangathan, said: “The then environment minister Jairam Ramesh formed a committee to look into the violations and a show-cause notice issued in 2010 revealed violations related to construction of airport, township and hospital without prior environmental clearance.”

The committee will be led by Sunita Narain, the director general of the Centre of Science and Environment, an activist body. Other members include a member of the National Coastal Zone Management Authority (NCZMA) and two people from the environment ministry.

The committee will submit its report to the ministry within three months.