Adani Ports Gets Nod For Gujarat SEZ

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ), part of the Ahmedabad-based Adani Group, has received environmental clearance and other nods from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests for its 8,481 hectares SEZ at Mundra port in Gujarat. This would facilitate setting up of facilities like desalination and effluent treatment plants and also boost exports.

In January, the Gujarat High Court had ordered suspension of all commercial and development activities in the 12 manufacturing units situated at Mundra on a public interest litigation. It had also asked the Environment Ministry to examine the issue again within 30 days, after taking into account the High Court’s observations as well as the Sunita Narain committee’s report that had highlighted violation of norms by the APSEZ.

The court had said the APSEZ did not have valid environmental clearance and it did qualify for deemed environment clearance which the company had claimed. The units in the SEZ were ordered to shut down operations.

However, the units moved the Supreme Court which granted them interim relief and allowed them to continue operations, but did not allow further expansion and construction.

The ministry’s nod will now allow APSEZ to set up a mega desalination plant, an effluent treatment plant and intake of sea water.

“The grant of environmental clearance to the Mundra SEZ by the Environment Ministry will encourage investment in the SEZ and development is expected to be at a much faster pace as it provides seamless connectivity through sea, rail and road,” said Gautam Adani, chairman, Adani Group.