A Division Bench of the Andhra Pradesh High Court led by Chief Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and comprising Justice N. Jayasurya on February 16 directed the expert committee constituted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) for inquiring into the alleged illegal construction activity atop Rushikonda in Visakhapatnam to submit its findings by March 16.
The court was hearing the public interest litigations filed by TDP legislator Velagapudi Ramakrishna Babu and Jana Sena Party corporator in the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation P. Murthy Yadav, and an impleadment petition filed by YSRCP Narsapuram Member of Parliament K. Raghu Ramakrishna Raju with regard to the denudation of the hillock, which was said to be done in blatant violation of the environment protection laws.
Further hearing of these PILs was posted to March 16.
During the hearing, the government pleader concerned furnished details of the five-member committee, which was set up by the Union of India, in compliance with the court directions.
The panel comprises scientists from the integrated regional office of the MoEFCC in Vijayawada, National Institute of Oceanography (Visakhapatnam), National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management, and engineers from the Central Public Works Department and the A.P. Pollution Control Board.
It is mandated to make an assessment of the extent of land used for construction activity and the area utilised for sloping, in the context of an allegation by the petitioners that constructions have been undertaken in an area that has exceeded the limits permitted by the MoEFCC.
