The division bench of the Gujarat High Court has ordered Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ), India's largest private port and special economic zone operator, to shut down 12 of its 21 units operating in its Mundra special economic zone (SEZ), with immediate effect, as per separate media reports.
The court ordered a closure of the 12 units in the premises of the SEZ, as these had violated its earlier order of May 2012.
The court order is in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by residents of a village near the port. The petitioners had alleged violation of the environmental norms for the land acquired for the SEZ.
The court has also reportedly asked the Union Ministry of Environment & Forests to look into the issue again within 30 days and there will be not any further activity in the form of construction at the SEZ till that time.
Originally incorporated as Gujarat Adani Port Ltd (GAPL) in 1998 to develop a private port at Mundra, on the west coast of India, the company commenced commercial operations in October 2001. Mundra SEZ was incorporated in November 2003, to set up an SEZ at Mundra and was merged with GAPL in April 2006. Thereafter the company was renamed as Mundra Port and Special Economic Zone and later rechristened as APSEZ in January 2012.
Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund Temasek owns around 1.16 per cent stake in the public listed firm.
(Edited by Joby Puthuparampil Johnson)
