HC will not interfere in Vadhavan port

The Bombay High Court has refused to interfere with the permission granted to establish and develop a Greenfield Port at Vadhavan in Dahanu in Palghar district, observing that Dahanu Taluka Environment Protection Authority (DTEPA) has considered all “relevant aspects” before approving the revised plan.

- URVI MAHAJANI

With that, the court has dismissed all pleas challenging the permission granted to establish the port.

While adopting a hands-off approach, the high court reasoned that it has to “consider whether a balance has been struck between sustainable development, on the one hand, and environmental protection with necessary safeguards, on the other.”

In this context, the court noted that “the complexion of the project had undergone a substantial change in view of re-location of the port at a distance of about six kilometres from the shore area.” Moreover, the “aspect of mangrove protection” too has been considered. “The off-shore area was found to fall beyond the area of Dahanu Taluka and within the domain of the Central Government,” the bench noted in a detailed 53-page judgment.