NGT for status quo on Bhadradri power station

Green Tribunal allows counsel for Telangana Government to file objections

: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has made it clear to the Telangana government that appraisal of the 4x270 MW Bhadradri Thermal Power Station at Manuguru, Khammam, by Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) cannot be allowed now, given the kind of environmental violations that have seemingly taken place.

The southern bench of the tribunal in Chennai has, however, allowed the counsel for the Telangana government and TSGENCO, to file objection, if any, with regard to the status report submitted by a team from MoEF that had visited the project site and acknowledged the violations.

This was in the light of the Telangana government’s contention disputing the veracity of the status report by the expert team headed by senior scientist M. Karuppiah.

Review of order

Additional Advocate General of Telangana R. Thiagarajan who appeared for TSGENCO, insisted on modification of an earlier order given by the tribunal which directed the MoEF not to proceed with the appraisal of Bhadradri project. He argued that the proposal had already been placed before the ministry and that the statutory power cannot be restrained by an interim order.

The tribunal, however, felt that there is no need for modification of the order in the light of the detailed status report, and absence of any formal objection to it.

In its previous order last month, the tribunal had asked MoEF not to go ahead with the appraisal in view of the violations, which incidentally were admitted by the corporation. The NGT hearing, initially slated for May 17, was advanced to May 2, also on TSGENCO’s request, as MoEF expert appraisal committee was to meet on May 5 and 6.

HRF petition

The Bhadradri project encountered legal hurdles when a petition was filed by the Human Rights Forum (HRF) in December last, alleging environmental violations by TSGENCO which began construction even before obtaining environmental clearance from the MoEF.

Though the tribunal had issued a stay on the construction, TSGENCO courted further allegations from the HRF about violating the stay. The allegations were confirmed by the status report submitted by the MoEF.

During the latest hearing, the State counsel contended that the construction work was halted in December, soon after the stay. The matter has been posted to May 17 for further hearing.