VIJAYAWADA: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday refused to interfere with the environment clearance for construction activities in the new capital city of Amaravati, subject to restrictions.
It formed two panels — a Supervisory Committee and an Implementation Committee — to monitor the construction of the capital city. The tribunal stressed that the works could not alter the micro-ecology, embankments or courses of rivers.
Earlier, the NGT had sought responses from the Centre and the Andhra Pradesh government after a plea was filed by social activist P Srimannarayana, former bureaucrat EAS Sarma and others. The petitioners made Ministries of Environment and Forests, Urban Development and Water Resources, the AP government and the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA) parties in the case.
Denying the violation of environmental laws, the AP government said it was taking all measures to protect the greenery in and around Amaravati. The NGT comprising Justice Swatanter Kumar (chairperson), Justice Raghuvendra S Rathore (judicial member) and Bikram Singh Sajwan (expert member) disposed of the petitions after hearing the arguments for more than 22 months and examining 10,000 pages of documents in favour of and against the project.It also examined the 192 safeguards laid down by the Environment Ministry for the protection of the environment.
It also asked the government to set up sewage water treatment plants and formed the implementation committee that will meet every month and the supervisory committee to meet every three months to determine whether the regulations were being implemented.Earlier, the NGT had directed the state government not to carry out any operation to clear the land falling in the project area without obtaining environmental clearance. Last year, it said there was no stay on the construction of the capital on the banks of the Krishna, but made it clear that the continuation of the project would be subject to the final decision of the tribunal and the orders already passed by it.
NGT orders
Riders the green tribunal set for the construction of the new capital city
A detailed hydromorphology study needs to be done
Plans for water retention and optimal water conservation should be evolved
Before altering floodplain, a study needs to be done
No permission for alteration of the river course or that of natural stormwater channels
Existing embankments should not be altered, except for the purpose of flood protection
A panel should be formed to ensure execution of conditions in a time-bound manner, ensure environmental safeguards in order
The panel will submita reports to NGT from time to time
All hills in Kondaveeti Vagu catchment area, its tributaries and storm water drains should be treated with care and afforestation measures taken up
‘Will demolish CM’s house’
Minister for Municipal Administration and vice chairman of CRDA P Narayana made it clear that the State government will demolish the house of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu if it comes within 100 meters from the Krishna river bed in accordance with the NGT’s order.