Vijayawada: Report sought on illegalities in lift irrigation projects

Vijayawada: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Union environent ministry to submit a report on alleged illegalities in the lift irrigation projects linking the Godavari, Krishna and the Penna such as the Pattiseema, Purushothapatnam, Chintalapudi and Godavari-Penna link at Vaikuntapuram in Guntur district.

A petition moved by former minister Vatti Vasanth Kumar and YSRC farmers’ wing leader Trinath Reddy was heard by Justice A.K. Goel and the four member committee.

The bench directed the MoEF to submit a report on whether the projects were taken up under EIA notification or not and whether they require environment clearance or not. It directed the petitioners to write a letter regarding their grievance to the MoEF and AP Pollution Control Board. The authorities have to take decision on the grievance within a week of receiving complaint.

The NGT posted the matter to consider the report of the MoEF to February 22