Environment law expert Sanjay Parik, who is arguing the case in the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on behalf of petitioners E.A.S.Sarma, Satya Bolisetti and Pandalaneni Srimannaryana, went around 29 villages located in the area earmarked for developing the new capital in general and the low-lying areas along the Kondaveeti vagu (streams) that are prone to flooding. Noted environmental scientist Vikram Soni accompanied Mr. Parik and studied the areas that were frequently inundated by Kondaveeti vagu, Pala vagu and Muddhuru vagu.
Talking to The Hindu after the visit, Mr. Parik said he had come to see for himself the ground situation and was shocked to see that some of the claims made by the counsels of the Andhra Pradesh Government in the NGT and the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report were untrue. One of the claims that there was no activity of any sort in the lankas (islands) was false. Several farmers were cultivating land for which they had pattas and there were also farmers who had no pattas, but had been tilling land on the lankas for two to three generations.
Meal with Dalits shared
Mr. Parik and Prof. Soni visited Uddandarayunipalem Lanka and Pedalanka on Friday. They shared a meal with Dalit farmers in community halls on the lankas.
