Date:25/08/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/08/25/stories/2006082521600400.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Minutes of public hearing presented to expert panel

Staff Reporter

Elevated Expressway project of HUDA

Expert panel to review project profile and suggest measures to mitigate any environment issues
Committee to send its recommendations to the Ministry of Environment for final clearance

Ministry to also look into the video recording of the public hearing

HYDERABAD: The minutes of the public hearing held recently on the Elevated Expressway project of Hyderabad Urban Development Authority (HUDA) were presented to the technical committee by HUDA officials on Thursday.

It is mandatory for projects with an outlay of more than Rs.50 crores to have a public hearing before seeking the Environment Impact Assessment clearance. The technical committee with specially nominated experts from various fields would review the project profile, details and suggest measures to mitigate any environment issues like pollution. Vimta Labs conducted the EI study for HUDA's infrastructure project - Elevated Expressway and the technicalities of the project were presented to the technical committee. This committee would send its recommendations to the Ministry of Environment for final clearance. The Ministry would also look into the video recording of the public hearing and documents. The expressway from Mehdipatnam to Internaternational Airport should not give rise to any pollution concerns as studies prove that fast moving vehicles rarely emit carbon monoxide.