The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has left the onus of taking “appropriate action” in the matter of Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Project (RLIP) taken up by the Andhra Pradesh government on the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) with the observation that “there is no necessity at this stage for going into the investigation in the matter”.
Disposing of an application filed by one Gavinolla Srinivas from Narayanpet district alleging that the AP government was making a lot of arrangements and taking steps for proceeding with the project without obtaining environmental clearance as directed the Tribunal in October last, the Southern Zone Bench of NGT observed last week: “There is nothing to disbelieve the assertion made by Chief Secretary of AP stating that there is no intention to violate the directions issued by the Tribunal and whatever is being done is only strictly in accordance with the guidelines provided for preparing the detailed project report (DPR) for the project”.
The Bench comprising judicial member Justice K. Ramakrishnan and expert member Saibal Dasgupta has directed the KRMB to take appropriate decision on the complaint lodged by the Telangana government against the project with a request to enquire into the matter of “work being done” by appointing a committee.
On its behalf, the AP government through an affidavit filed by its Chief Secretary Aditya Nath Das categorically stating that the work being done was for preparation of the DPR as per the guidelines of the Central Water Commission (CWC) and Ministry of Jal Shakti, including investigation for preparing DPR along with the estimates based on the soil quality after removing the superficial soil.
Further, the AP government has reiterated that they would proceed with the project only after preparation of the DPR and getting approval from the concerned departments as directed by the Tribunal. “As such there is no violation or wilful disobedience committed by the AP government and there is no necessity for initiating any action as sought by the applicant,” the NGT Bench observed.
The Bench also observed that on the basis of the complaint made by the Telangana government in the matter of nature of work being done on RLIP the KRMB was at liberty to go into the question and if it was found that there was any violation of directions given by the Tribunal, on the basis of investigation conducted by them (KRMB) independently, it was at liberty to take appropriate action against the AP government.
The applicant too would be at liberty to approach the Tribunal at that stage, the Bench observed.
