Lafarge, a French company finally received a break on Friday, from a lawsuit on environmental Clarence (EC) filed on the project of 3 million ton cement plant in Mandi district. The Himachal Pradesh High Court has done away with the lawsuit.

The special panel dealing with the environment related cases sitting in high court invalidated the September 2010 judgment of the National Environment Appellate Authority (NEAA). The panel has asked the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) to formulate a board to re-analyze the environmental concerns of the project to be established at Alsindi in the central district of Mandi.

The authorities of Lafarge assured that they were abiding by the legal norms of the state in concerns with the environment.

As per the Spokesperson of the company, “The court has also referred the EC to the MoEF for consideration. Lafarge will comply with the recommendations of the ministry, as stipulated”.

The Spokesperson further stated that people residing in the region of Mandi will seek benefits from the establishment of the project.

The company received clearance on the environmental grounds, after the site inspection carried out by NEAA chairman J C Kala. The project was approved by Himachal Government in 2006, is claimed to attract an investment of Rs 900 crore.