By IANS,
New Delhi: The environment ministry has rejected four commercial projects in various parts of the country, including the establishment of a port in Gujarat, as they could affect the biodiversity of the region.
The decision was taken at a meeting here of the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wild Life chaired by Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh Monday.
The four projects rejected are the establishment of a port at Poshitra in Jamnagar, Gujarat, withdrawal of water from the Majthal Wildlife Sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh for the expansion of a cement plant, neutralising iron ore mines in Goa and mining of Manganese ore in Goa, an official statement said here Tuesday.
The standing committee said the projects were denied clearances as they were affecting the biodiversity.
The rejection of these projects comes at a time when the environment minister has been facing criticism from his colleagues for delaying infrastructure projects and prime minister Manmohan Singh had last month called a meeting to sort out the matter.