• The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal on Monday suspended the Environmental Clearance (EC) granted to the India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) that was to come up in Theni and asked the project proponent to make a fresh application.
• During the arguments, the Tribunal was informed that the Madhikettan Shola National Park in Idukki district of Kerala was just about 4.9 km from the proposed project site and the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border was just a kilometre away, making it a Category ‘A’ project.

New facts

• The MoEF had categorised it as a Category ‘B’ project, for which an Environmental Impact Assessment is not necessary, but the department processed it as an additional measure.

However, under the guidelines laid down by the Ministry,

• Any project that falls within 5 km from an inter-State boundary or within a notified national park or a sanctuary, has to be considered a Category ‘A’ project that involves a number of processes before an EC is granted.
• Since it was near a national park, the INO was also asked to get clearance from the National Board for Wildlife. 

Source: The Hindu