The National Green Tribunal (NGT) Southern Bench on Friday directed the Andhra Pradesh Cricket Association (APCA) to pay Rs. 96.40 lakh as compensation to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) for unauthorised cutting of trees for construction of an international cricket stadium in Tirupati.
The Cricket Association had commenced construction and laid the foundation stone on November 20, 2013 after felling the trees.
While refraining from halting the construction of the stadium, the Bench comprising judicial member M. Chockalingam and expert member R. Nagendran asked the APCA to get necessary clearances from the Ministry of Environment and Forests or State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority and the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APCB) on the stadium issue. The APCB has been asked to consider the applications made by the APCA.
The NGT had earlier taken suo motu cognisance of a report published in The Hindu on November 21, 2013 and restrained the authorities from taking any further steps in constructing the stadium.
The association wanted to build an international cricket stadium in Tirupati
