KURNOOL: The Chennai bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), in an order on Friday, restrained the Andhra Pradesh government from undertaking "any work on the ground" in the guise of preparation of a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme at Pothireddypadu in Kurnool district.
It was responding to a petition filed by Gavinolla Srinivas of Nagarkurnool district. The bench said there, however, was no need to proceed against the chief secretary of Andhra Pradesh for the injunction violations alleged in a case of civil contempt.
Observing that the groundwork done so far at the project was in excess of DPR requirements, the bench said the government should pay compensation for the excess work done.
To ascertain this, a joint committee has been formed consisting of one each senior officer from the MoEF&CC, the Integrated Regional Office, Vijaywada, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and the Design and Planning of Irrigation and Multipurpose Projects under the Centre Water Commission (CWC), New Delhi – that’s if it has a regional office in Andhra Pradesh, or an officer deputed by CWC).
The MoEF&CC and the joint committee are directed to submit their reports to this tribunal within four months.
NGT said the DPR should be strictly in compliance with the guidelines issued by the CWC and GSI. If unnecessary excess work has been found to have been executed, a compensation for the excess work must be assessed and the damage caused to the environment thereof too be considered, it said.
