VIJAYAWADA: Observing that it was not satisfied with the manner in which the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) was responding to its orders, the principal bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed the official in-charge in the ministry to submit a report on the issue of Environmental Clearance of the Purushothapatnam Lift Irrigation scheme. The bench was hearing the petition filed against taking up the project sans requisite EC.
According to the NGT’s order, the bench noted that MoEF did not submit a report sought on the norms of obtaining the EC. It noted that the advocate on behalf of the ministry earlier said that the report could be obtained if time was given, but in vain.
“We are not satisfied with the manner in which the ministry is taking the orders of this court. So, the officer concerned is directed to appear with the report if EC is required or not for river valley and irrigation projects, and with details of the action proposed to be taken against the State government, if it didn’t take the required EC,” the order said.