NGT stays works on Palamuru Rangareddy lift irrigation scheme
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday stayed the Palamuru Rangareddy lift irrigation scheme construction works in Telangana.
By Newsmeter Network Published on 29 Oct 2021 1:21 PM GMT
Hyderabad: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday stayed the Palamuru Rangareddy lift irrigation scheme construction works in Telangana. It directed the state government to stop works on the project taken up on river Krishna till it obtains the required permission from the Center.
The NGT, following the Andhra Pradesh government's objection, noted that the Telangana government did not take necessary permission, including environmental clearance. The NGT was also not satisfied with the replies sent by the Telangana government on the objection raised by the AP government over the project.
Earlier in July this year, the NGT had ordered the constitution of a joint committee to inspect the project works following a petition filed by D. Chandramouleswara Reddy, a farmer from Kadapa, along with other farmers from Rayalaseema, Prakasam, Guntur, and Krishna districts against the project. A seven-member committee was formed to look into the violations.
The Palamuru Rangareddy LIS is conceived as an irrigation scheme to lift 90 tmcft of which the drinking water component is only 7.15 tmcft. The committee opined that the construction activities are being carried out for the full 90 tmcft capacity. Thus, it cannot be said that the project proponent has confined themselves to the drinking water project alone, the panel said.
The NGT said that it is a violation of Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification 2016. The joint committee suggested the imposition of an environmental compensation of Rs. 3,70,87,500 on Telangana.
During the inspection, it was observed that the construction of the reservoir was in progress and people from tandas and villages, located in the submerged area of the reservoir, had been displaced.
