Madras HC refuses to stay construction of Ooty medical college over alleged environmental violations

The Rs 447.32 crore project began after its foundation stone was laid down by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami earlier this year. This new medical college is coming up in an area of 40 acres in the Fingerpost area that would also house a super-specialty hospital, with modern equipment, hostels for medical students, quarters for doctors, and a control room for 108 ambulances.

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However, a PIL was recently moved by advocate V Ramesh with the high court, alleging that the construction of the medical college will lead to adverse environmental impact and environmental violation. The plea sought a direction to the state to utilize the land and buildings leased and owned by Hindustan Photo Films for establishing the government medical college hospital.

The petitioner while confirming that he is not against the construction of the hospital in the area, submitted that "the land allotted for the project has been earmarked as grassland classification, which is the heartbeat of the Nilgiris biosphere. Establishing a College and Hospital in the area will result in the conversion of grassland to a concrete jungle."