An expert appraisal committee of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF) has recommended constitution of a six-member Oversight Committee as directed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) for calculating/revisiting damage cost of violations in the implementation of Palamuru-Rangareddy (PRLIS) and Dindi (DLIS) lift irrigation schemes for mitigation purpose.
The Oversight Committee to be headed by A. Malhotra is mandated to assess ecological damage in the implementation of the two projects completed to an extent of 75% without environmental impact assessment study and environmental clearance, as observed by the Southern Zone Bench of NGT while passing an order on December 22 last in petitions filed by D. Chandramouleswara Reddy and others.
It was specified in the NGT order that the Oversight Committee has to prepare a plan of Krishna River Restoration covering all riparian States by involving expert agencies such as NEERI. The works proposed should be implemented for the entire Krishna river on the lines of ‘Namami Gange’ programme. The Ministry of Jal Shakti could entrust the work to Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) with required approvals after the report is prepared and approved by the committee.
Before taking to the preparation of the mitigation report, the Oversight Committee is required to submit information on bank guarantee equivalent to the amount of ₹620.85 crore to be provided by the project proponent, Telangana government, as directed by NGT, as environmental compensation for remediation plan, natural and community resource augmentation plant with the State Pollution Control Board prior to the grant of EC.
Further, the panel is told to submit information on assessment of ecological damage with respect to air, water, land other environmental attributes, on obtaining clearance from inter-state aspect from the designated authorities, on preparation of environmental management plant comprising remediation, on impact due to project activities and remedial measures based on the field study and issues raised during the public hearing and on provisions to be made to recharge groundwater through proposed reservoirs to dilute fluoride levels since the areas are in the fluoride affected zone.
The Oversight Committee has been told to file a compliance report within one year.
Meanwhile, the State government has filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court during the last week of January challenging the NGT order with a request to cancel the huge fine (compensation) imposed by it stating that there were no environmental violations as being observed by the Tribunal.
