Mumbai:
The Environment Ministry today directed Maharashtra government to take action against Lavasa.
The Ministry said that while building the first phase of its hill town project near Pune, there was illegal construction on the 681 hectares of land. The company did not get environmental clearance, said the Ministry.
"We welcome the recommendations of the Ministry of Environment and Forests appointed Expert Appraisal Committee," said a statement from Lavasa.
Lavasa is a subsidiary of Hindustan Construction Company.
In December last year, the Environment Ministry had ordered status quo to be maintained at the site by terming it "unauthorised" and observed that Lavasa Corporation, the site developer had violated the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notifications.
Lavasa Corporation challenged this order in the Bombay High Court and the matter is now pending before it.
In February, the company had also applied for grant of environment clearance for the first phase of the project.
Before that, in January this year, the Environment Ministry said it was ready to consider the project on "merits", subject to fulfilment of certain conditions.