Realign road to save lake: NGT

NGT directs 80m bridge on new highway

In a major development, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to change the road alignment in order to save Chuttugunta lake in Raghavapuram of Suryapet-Khammam Highway from encroachment.

The NHAI has been directed to provide an elevated column bridge of 80 metres on NH-365 passing through the Chuttugunta lake and also to set up as many box type vents with suggested width as possible in the remaining area in consultation with the irrigation department, so as to make the free flow of water unaffected.

The NGT has also directed the irrigation department to consider the proposal and grant permission with other conditions (if any) required for the protection of the water body.

The NHAI has also been

● THE NGT has also directed the irrigation department to consider the proposal and grant permission with other conditions (if any) required for the protection of the water body.

● THE NHAI has also been directed to comply with other recommendations of increasing the storing capacity of the lake and the full tank level by digging the lake in consultation with the irrigation department.

directed to comply with other recommendations of increasing the storing capacity of the lake and the full tank level (FTL) by digging the lake in consultation with the irrigation department.

It has asked the NHAI not to take any additional area inside the water body for construction of bridges.

“The ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEF & CC) is directed to consider the question of conducting the EIA study and obtaining prior environmental clearance (EC) when the national highway projects are envisaged crossing the water body or having any impact on ecological equilibrium of the water body, while considering the question of permission of segmentation of project to avoid obtaining EC as directed. The location for providing vents can be finalised in consultation with the irrigation department. If any new proposal is submitted by the NHAI, the irrigation department is directed to consider the same and grant necessary permission for this purpose,” the NGT order said.

Further, the Supreme Court as well as the NGT directed the authorities to adopt elevated column bridges instead of dividing the water body by filling up any portion of the water body whenever they are taking steps to provide highways or railway lines crossing the water body.