VIJAYAWADA: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Environment Appraisal Committee of the Union Ministry of Forest and Environment, Central Pollution Control Board and other concerned departments to submit a report within four weeks of convening a meeting discussing if environmental clearances (ECs) were required for Purushottapatnam, Pattiseema and Chintalapudi Lift Irrigation Schemes (LISs).
The tribunal also expressed its ire at MoEF for reportedly making contradictory statements on the matter.
The bench, headed by AK Goel, heard the matter in New Delhi on Thursday in which the MoEF submitted that separate ECs for the LISs were required if Polavaram canal was used and that the national project’s EC would suffice if canal was not used.
The NGT reportedly found fault with the ambiguous stance and questioned as to why a show-cause notice was served on the LIS if EC was not required.
The State government argued that no fresh clearance was required as the lift irrigation schemes were a part of Polavaram Project.
It argued that the pumps would be dismantled once Polavaram project comes into operation.
The counsel representing the petitioners, Sravan Kumar, argued that the projects were designed and executed without any scientific study.
He contested that if they were temporary projects, as being claimed by the State, then why did the State not care about the permanent damage caused to the farmers.
“Even after three years of taking the lands, by force, compensation has not been paid,” Sravan Kumar argued. In the affidavit filed by the Union Ministry of Water Resources, it was made clear that Pattiseema and Purushottapatnam schemes were not part of Polavaram project and that the Centre would not bear costs pertaining to them.
After hearing all the arguments, the NGT directed that a consensus be arrived on whether fresh ECs were necessary for the lift irrigation schemes and that a report be submitted in four weeks.
The matter has been posted to May for further hearing.