Sheila Dikshit steers clear of ‘Akshardham Temple’ environment clearance issue

NEW DELHI - Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has steered clear of Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh’s remarks on the Akshardham Temple not getting environment clearance.

“I do not know in what context Ramesh spoke. However, the decision to give the clearance was taken by the then NDA government and the permission was given by the authorities,” Dikshit said.

Dikshit’s comment comes after Ramesh said that the Akshardham Temple, which is built on the bank of Yamuna river in New Delhi, does not have environmental clearance.

“Akshardham didn’t get the clearance. Akshardham didn’t apply for the environmental clearance,” Ramesh had said on Friday.

“It has already happened. What is yet to happen, we can stop that,” he added, when asked whether Akshardham Temple was constructed by violating the environmental norms.

The Minister of State for Environment and Forests, however, had contended that nothing could be done about it now.

“We can’t demolish the Akshardham Complex. We have to protect the remaining river bed,” Ramesh said. (ANI)