Day Before AIIMS Kalyani Inauguration By PM Modi, Bengal Pollution Board Says Hospital Has No Green Nod
IIMS Kalyani applied for an exemption, arguing that it is a healthcare facility and, thus, does not require environmental clearance.
New Delhi: The Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) said that the AIIMS at Kalyani, which is scheduled to be inaugurated virtually by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, does not have environmental clearance. According to the guidelines of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), any project exceeding 20,000 square metres requires an environment clearance (EC), WBPCB Chairman Kalyan Rudra said on Saturday.
As per PTI, AIIMS Kalyani, situated in Nadia district of the state, has been established on an area exceeding 20,000 square metres. Despite the authorities of AIIMS Kalyani applying for environmental clearance on October 6, 2022, the construction commenced prior to obtaining the green nod, as highlighted by Rudra during a press conference. Consequently, the project falls under the "violation category" for non-compliance with MoEFCC guidelines. In accordance with these guidelines, the WBPCB has imposed an environmental damage cost and a penalty amounting to over Rs 15 crore, as stated by Rudra.
WBPCB Initiates Legal Action
However, AIIMS Kalyani applied for an exemption, arguing that it is a healthcare facility and, thus, does not require environmental clearance. However, Rudra asserted that the state government lacks the authority to grant such exemptions. Consequently, the WBPCB has initiated legal action by filing a case before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate's (ACJM) court in Kalyani regarding this matter, as per PTI.
The hospital officials could not be contacted for comments.
The Kalyani unit of AIIMS, which has had its OPD operational since 2019, occupies a sprawling area of 179.8 acres of land. It is a 960-bed super specialty hospital equipped with 34 departments and a medical college. PM Modi is scheduled to virtually dedicate five AIIMS hospitals to the nation on Sunday.
Notable dignitaries expected to be present at AIIMS Kalyani during the event include West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose, Union AYUSH Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, and three union ministers from the state.
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