AP SAYS TAKE TS OFF POLAVARAM, NGT SEEKS STAND

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday granted two weeks to the Telangana state, Chhattisgarh and Odisha governments to spell out their stand on a petition filed by AP government, seeking to delete the Telangana state government as a party to the Polavaram project petitions.

The NGT bench, headed by chairman Justice Swatantra Kumar was dealing with applications by the AP government with regard to the Polavaram project and an NGO from TS, Readiness for Empowerment Through Legitimate Action (RELA), seeking a stay on the project.

When the bench asked counsels for the three states whether they had filed a counter affidavit on the application of the AP government, they replied in the negative. Counsel for RELA told the bench that it had filed its reply on the objections raised by the AP government.

He submitted that urgent action wsa required as the AP government is undertaking the construction on a war-footing and cutting large number of trees without alternatives. Many locals are displaced by the project.

He told the bench that all these activities are taking place in violation of the environment clearance conditions laid down in 2015.