VIJAYAWADA: The issue of the State government’s failure in curbing the illegal sand mining, which prompted the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to impose a fine of Rs 100 crore on Andhra Pradesh government, is expected to come up for discussion in the green panel’s session scheduled on Friday. The tribunal would review the measures taken by the AP government to comply with the environmental norms in municipal solid waste management, air pollution, river pollution and others.
Chief Secretary LV Subramanyam along with a few other bureaucrats left for New Delhi on Thursday to participate in the Friday’s session. The Chief Secretary and principal secretaries of the departments concer ned will make a presentation before the green panel at 2 pm on Friday. “The NGT has directed all the Chief Secretaries to make a presentation on various compliance issues.
Since the penalty of Rs 100 crore was imposed last month, it is expected that the tribunal would seek the status of the steps taken by the AP government to tackle the issue,” sources said. The NGT’s session is a part of the decision it took in January directing Chief Secretaries of all the States and Union Territories to present the steps taken in implementing the environmental norms.