Kaleshwaram: TS approaches High Court against NGT order

HYDERABAD: The Telangana government approached the Hyderabad High Court with a plea to set aside the order of National Green Tribunal (NGT) that stayed all the ongoing work of Kaleshwaram project. The government pointed out that the impugned order was issued contrary to the guidelines of NGT Act.The government, represented by Kaleshwaram project chief engineer B Hariram, contended that the tribunal order was passed without citing any reasons. It submitted that the tribunal passed the order despite the state government’s assurance that it would take up work pertaining to irrigation project only after obtaining required clearances from the ministry of environment and forest.

The state specifically stated that the ongoing project work was meant for drinking water purpose only for which there was no need of an environmental clearance. The complainant Hayath Uddin, who was the petitioner before the tribunal, intended to mislead the tribunal by giving false information, it alleged.

The government further submitted that it was incurring losses to a tune of Rs 100 crores per day because of the tribunal order. There was scope for escalation of project cost due to delay in construction work, it added, and urged to cancel the tribunal order.The matter is expected to come up for hearing before the division bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan on Monday.On October 5 this year, the tribunal stayed all the ongoing construction work of Kaleshwaram project until all statutory clearances required for it were obtained. It directed the state authorities to stop all the work. Later, the government moved the high court.