Fine linked to environmental clearance that was obtained only after work on project had already started
PANAJI
The Accountant General (Audit), Goa has raised concerns over an alleged short recovery of Rs 1.12 crore in environmental violation penalty from the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), Dhargalim, for obtaining ex-post facto Environmental Clearance for its project. Following the audit observation, the Goa State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) has sought clarification from the institute.
The audit objection relates to the penalty imposed for starting construction work without prior environmental clearance. The AG noted that the project proponent was required to pay a penalty equal to 1 per cent of the total project cost, amounting to Rs 1.35 crore, along with an additional 0.25 per cent of the turnover earned during the violation period.
However, the audit found that AIIA had paid only Rs 23 lakh before receiving the ex-post facto clearance, leading to an alleged short recovery of Rs 1.12 crore.
Following the audit observations, the matter was discussed during SEIAA meetings and AIIA representatives were called to present their submissions and clarifications.
At the latest hearing, the representatives sought more time to provide the required details. SEIAA accepted the request and granted the institute 15 days to submit its clarification.
The issue dates back to early 2022 when Goa-SEIAA directed AIIA, Dhargalim, to deposit a penalty of Rs 1.35 crore before environmental clearance could be granted after it was found that construction work had started without mandatory
approvals.
The violation came to light after SEIAA inspected the project site following AIIA’s application for environmental clearance in 2021. The inspection found that major construction activities were already underway, which was treated as an environmental violation.
SEIAA had noted that development works worth around Rs 135 crore had already been completed against the total project cost of Rs 206.1 crore, which formed the basis for calculating the Rs 1.35 crore
penalty.
The centrally funded AIIA campus at Dhargalim, spread over nearly two lakh square metres, is now operational as an Ayurveda education and healthcare centre with a research facility, hospital and academic programmes for undergraduate and postgraduate students.
