A committee of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has deferred its decision on granting environmental clearance to the Hyderabad Pharma City, even while giving the go-ahead for preparation of crucial reports for the National Investment and Manufacturing Zone (NIMZ) in Zaheerabad.
On the Pharma City project, proposed by TSIIC on 19,333 acres and to be developed in phases, the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) said the decision was being deferred for “want of additional information” on a number of aspects, including treatment of effluents and conserving existing water bodies.
The panel sought more information on the detailed plan for treatment of effluents, which would be generated by the bulk drug and formulations units, and on the plan to develop hazardous waste disposal facility within the Pharma City. Other aspects on which it wanted additional information were plan to conserve tanks and ponds and prevention of surface and ground water contamination from effluent discharge.
The nearly ₹16,800-crore project is expected to attract ₹64,000 crore investment and generate 5.6 lakh direct and indirect employment opportunities. The panel took note of various aspects, including that no expansion of existing or setting up of new pharma unit is to be permitted in Hyderabad, except at the Pharma City. The existing units are to be relocated to the Pharma City in a planned, phased manner, depending upon the present environmental footprint but not exceeding seven years.
Plan for skill development training, including suitable employment to locals, details of air and noise modelling, detailed post project monitoring plan, revised risk management study and the safeguards proposed to protect, from environmental pollution, residents of the two settlements that would be integrated with Pharma City were among the aspects on which the EAC sought more information, the minutes of its meeting last month said.
