VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court has directed the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) to assess the impact of the violations found by the committee, which looked into the allegations of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) and other violations on Rushikonda, with a committee of experts.
The committee should also consider whether the steps proposed to be taken for stabilising and vegetation of Rushikonda are adequate, and if not, what additional measures can be directed to be taken in regard to the same to ensure its restoration. The court asked the MoEF&CC to file a detailed affidavit within three weeks.
The High Court issued orders with regard to two separate petitions filed against the AP Tourism Development Corporation taking up constructions on Rushikonda violating the CRZ norms as well as Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA) master plan. The court had earlier constituted a committee to look into the alleged violations and submit its report.
The court, in its orders on Tuesday, directed the concerned secretary/competent authority in the MoEF&CC to take an appropriate decision considering the report filed by the expert committee nominated by the court, after giving the APTDC through its authorised representative an opportunity of being heard as to whether the violations projected in the report are such as they would warrant cancellation/withdrawal of the clearance granted to it on May 19, 2021 and whether any penal action under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 would be initiated.
The court, however, said before taking a decision, it would be appropriate for the MoEF& CC to get assessed the impact of the violations mentioned in the report of the committee through experts. “The committee should also consider whether the steps proposed to be taken for stabilising and vegetation of Rushikonda are adequate and if not, what additional measures can be directed to be taken in regard to the same to ensure its restoration,’’ the order said.
The court asked the Union Environment Ministry to take an appropriate decision and convey the same along with a detailed affidavit in that regard within three weeks.
The court further said, “In the meantime, till such a decision is taken, the APTDC should raise constructions strictly in accordance with the apex court directions only on the areas where the buildings existed earlier and on the flat surface.’’