HYDERABAD: As Telangana government authorities remained silent, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) directed its Regional Officer in Chennai to inspect a real estate project at Narsingi by the well-known builder, My Home and submit a detailed report.
The inspection has been ordered to investigate allegations of violation of environmental norms in construction of the project, including violation of GO 111. The allegations were made by TPCC working president and Malkajgiri MP A Revanth Reddy in his letter to the MoEF last year.
The information came to light on Friday after MoEF submitted a counter affidavit in the National Green Tribunal, where a petition filed by Reddy in the same matter is being heard in which he complained that the MoEF and Telangana government are not taking any action in the matter.
The MoEF in its counter affidavit mentioned that it had written twice to the Telangana State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) asking it to submit a report in the matter. However, the SEIAA did not follow through and the MoEF had to step in.
It may be mentioned here that the NGT Chennai had also ordered an investigation last year by a Joint Committee of officials from central and State government agencies to look into the matter and submit a report.
However, neither the Joint Committee nor the MoEF Regional Officer have submitted a report yet. On Friday, they sought a month’s time to submit the report as the matter came up for hearing at NGT Chennai.
Reddy had alleged in his letter to MoEF that the Narsingi project was actually proposed by DLF Home Developers Limited, for which it was granted Environmental Clearance by SEIAA. As per the EC issued in 2015, the project cost was Rs 850 crore.
However, construction of this project was later taken up by My Home. Reddy has alleged that 'My Home' did not obtain change of name in Environmental Clearance and other permissions from concerned government agencies in violation of law.
Reddy also alleged that the construction of the project resulted in encroachment of a water channel between Narsingi lake-2, Muskin Cheruvu and Nagireddy Kunta, causing stagnation in the area during monsoon, and that in violation of GO 111, information regarding existence of water channel was suppressed before government agencies by the builders.
Proposed by DLF
Reddy had alleged in his letter to MoEF that the Narsingi project was actually proposed by DLF Home Developers Limited, for which it was granted Environmental Clearance by SEIAA. As per the EC issued in 2015, the project cost was Rs 850 crore.
Revanth’s complaint
The inspection has been ordered to investigate violation of environmental norms based on allegations made by Congress leader A Revanth Reddy in his letter to the MoEF last year.