HYDERABAD: The ball is now in the Central Government’s court regarding the violation of environmental norms in construction of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme by the Telangana government. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday disposed off a petition that had sought issuance of direction to the Telangana government against the expansion of the project.
The petitioner, Thummanapally Srinivas, sought the NGT to issue direction to the State government for violating an order that the NGT had passed in October in another case dealing with the Kaleshwaram project. The NGT had then said it cannot accept the stand of Telangana government that the expansion of Kaleshwaram project by extraction of 3 TMC water per day instead of 2 TMC does not involve any infrastructural changes and therefore environmental clearance was not required.
The NGT had also pointed out that as per a letter from the Minister of Jal Shakti to the Telangana Chief Minister, the State government should not proceed with the project without obtaining necessary permissions from the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB), the Apex Council and CWC.
The NGT’s order issued on Monday stated that the matter must be dealt with the Ministry of Jal Shakti. The order read, “It is clear from the order already passed that the matter is to be dealt with by the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the State is to proceed in accordance with the decision of the said Ministry. No further order is called for except that the applicant may take up the matter with the concerned Ministry/government, as per law.”