Confusion over notification on new hill station in state

MUMBAI The Maharashtra government’s Urban Development department’s notice allowing a private hill station to be developed in Pune district has stirred up a controversy as the state appraisal committee of the environment ministry has advised the government to restrict development in this eco-sensitive region.

Though the notification puts tough riders on the developer, sources in the government familiar with the issue admit that the draft has been issued in a hurry and under some kind of political compulsion as well.

“This project has been sanctioned under the state’s hill station policy which was passed in 1996. It has not been given the status of a special planning authority as in case of Lavasa. All environmental conditions have to be met before the project can go ahead,” CM Prithviraj Chavan told reporters on Tuesday.

A notification issued by the UD department says, “With reference to state government’s policy declared on November 26, 1996, which allows development of tourist resorts or hill stationtype townships, the government has decided to allow development of another private hill station in Mulshi taluka.