Kochi: The State-Level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC), which met on Wednesday, gave its clearance for the Cochin Cancer Research Centre and the Ernakulam Government Medical College (EMC) super-specialty block projects. After the clearance from the SEAC, both the projects will go to the State-level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA). It is expected that with the SEAC clearance, the nod from SEIAA is just a formality. There were apprehensions that the projects may not the green clearance due to vested interest and intense lobbying from the private sector hospitals.
The CCRC project is worth Rs 395 crore, while the super-specialty block is worth Rs 368 crore. At its hearing on December 4, the SEAC had suggested changes to the DPRs of both projects by the authorities of the CCRC and EMC and INKEL, which is the implementing agency. Health additional chief secretary Rajeev Sadanandan had told this paper that both projects after clearing the environmental hurdle will be placed before KIIFB board in February.
