The Environment Ministry has rejected a proposal to set up a port at Positra, near Jamnagar in Gujarat pointing out that it would impact the marine ecosystem in the Gulf of Kutch.

The Standing Committee of National Board for Wildlife on Monday has denied permission to carry out the environmental impact assessment and risk assessment for setting up a port in Positra, the Environment Minister, Mr Jairam Ramesh, said.

The proposed Port was to be developed by the Gujarat Positra Infrastructure Ltd, a special purpose vehicle promoted by Sea King Infrastructure Ltd and Gujarat Maritime Board.

The Positra port proposal was shot down as it would devastate the fragile marine eco-system in the region. “The proposed project site is within the parts of Gulf of Kutch Marine National Park which is rich in marine biodiversity and is in a highly ecological fragile area,” the Minister said.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of workshop on Joint Forest Management (JFM), Mr Ramesh said the decision to reject the project proposal was based on ground realities. Stating that Environment Ministry was not a ‘rubber stamp', Mr Ramesh said the approval was given only when there was overwhelming requirement.

In making the decision, it was noted that a report of the M.S. Swaminathan Committee had recommended that no port be developed in or around protected area/eco fragile zones. Earlier a committee consisting of Dr M.K. Ranjitsinh and Dr Asad Rehmani, members of the Standing Committee, had carried out a site inspection and recommended against the proposed Positra Port.

Mr Ramesh also said the Committee has also rejected Ambuja Cement's proposal for drawing water from the Majthal Wildlife Sanctuary and laying of pipeline for carrying this water for expansion of its cement plant at Himachal Pradesh.

The proposal was rejected as the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 clearly states that water from the protected area cannot be used for commercial purposes.

Earlier addressing the JFM, Mr Ramesh said the Green India Mission, which seeks to enhance the country's forest cover, would be formulated after public consultations by this month-end.

The Mission is part of the National Action Plan on Climate Change which aims to expand forest cover from 23 per cent to 33 per cent.

The blueprint of the Mission will be made public and to make it inclusive and participative, the Ministry proposes to hold public consultations in five different parts of the country, Mr Ramesh said.