NGT Directives for Vending Area Along Nellore’s Jafar Saheb Canal
No shop can open near Jafar Saheb canal until safeguards are in place, says NGT
Nellore: National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed Nellore authorities to enforce strict environmental safeguards before the Smart Street Vending Market starts operating along the Jafar Saheb canal in Nellore city.
The tribunal made it clear that under no circumstances should the canal be polluted, whether through garbage dumping, sewage or wastewater discharge.
The NGT’s directive came following a petition filed by YSR Congress Party MLC Parvathareddy Chandrasekhar Reddy.
The tribunal did not scrap the project altogether. But it made it clear that commercial activity can only begin after all precautionary measures are implemented to ensure that the canal remains protected.
In their response to the NGT, officials of the district collectorate, municipal Corporation, Irrigation department and Pollution Control Board detailed the steps they are taking to maintain hygienic conditions at the vending zone. They assured the tribunal that necessary systems will be put in place to prevent the Jafar Saheb canal from being polluted.
Following this, speaking to the media at the YSRCP office in Nellore, MLC Chandrasekhar Reddy welcomed the NGT’s directive, calling it a victory for public interest and environmental protection. He said the order reflects the growing concerns of residents about the ecological damage the unregulated vending market could cause, including traffic congestion in the area.
The MLC went on to charge that Reddy also alleged that Minister P. Narayana is utilising the vending market opportunity to unethically allocate nearly 200 shops to his political supporters in a non-transparent manner.
Chandrasekhar Reddy recalled that the previous YSRCP administration had spent over Rs 120 crore to beautify the Jafar Saheb canal with retaining walls, a 100-feet-wide road with central dividers and a walking path. These developments, he underlined, had become possible through the cooperation and sacrifices of economically weaker families residing in the area.
The MLC said he will personally meet the district collector to ensure strict enforcement of the tribunal’s orders for upholding the integrity of the canal.
