Centre fine with Maya's park in Noida

New Delhi: In a major U-turn the Central Government on Friday told the Supreme Court that environmental clearance is not required for the Ambedkar Memorial Park being developed by the Mayawati government in Noida.

The Centre had been asked to explain whether the Ambedkar Memorial Park is a building project, construction project or an area development project.

Earlier, the Centre had said it could not give environmental clearance for construction of statues and memorials for Dalit leaders at the park.

The Uttar Pradesh government had subsequently agreed to reduce the construction area to about 35 per cent of the park.

The Supreme Court had in October 2009 given a stay order to the controversial park being constructed in Noida adjacent to a bird sanctuary.

In response to a PIL filed by environmentalists, the Supreme Court had asked for construction to stop till a complete investigation was undertaken on whether environment laws were flouted.

The construction site is merely 20 feet away from the Okhla Bird Sanctuary, home to some of India's most endangered birds, and with the noise and dust pollution, naturalists had expressed their concern over the construction.