The National Green Tribunal has issued an order restraining Andhra Pradesh from proceeding further with the Godavari-Krishna-Penna river-linking project till the requisite environmental clearances and other permissions are taken under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
The order was issued by the NGT, Principal Bench, New Delhi, on Friday in response to a grievance petition (Original Application No.48/2019) that the project was initiated by the Andhra Pradesh State without clearance from the Central Water Commission and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
The Tribunal in its order said that the project would fall under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The river valley projects require environmental clearance and also consent under the Water ( Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. The project could not be allowed till the requisite environmental requirements were met.
Earlier the NGT in a order issued on January 8, 2019 sought factual report from the MoEF & CC and the State Pollution Control Board. The tribunal in its order noted that the State Pollution Control Board in its report though acknowledged the illegality in view of absence of consent to Establish and Environmental Clearance, the SPCB failed to perform its duty to take appropriate action as per law.
Project inspection
The NGT order directed the Regional Office of MoEF&CC at Chennai to undertake inspection of the project along with the Central Pollution Control Board and SPCB and furnish a factual report in the matter within one month by email at judicial-ngt@gmail.com. The CPCB will be the nodal agency for coordination and compliance.
The foundation for the first phase of project was laid in November 2018 at Nakirekallu in Guntur district by the then Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. The AP government had proposed to complete the Godavari-Penna interlinking projects in five phases at an estimated cost of ₹83,796 crore.
In the first phase, the interlinking of two major rivers is expected to help solve drinking water and irrigation problems in south coastal Andhra. In the second phase, it is envisaged to benefit the parched Rayalaseema.
