The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has granted an interim stay on the construction of the Rayalaseema Lift Scheme which has become a bone of contention between the two Telugu States.
In response to a petition filed by Govinolla Srinivas through his counsel Sravan Kumar and Kothai Muthu Meenal to the southern zone Bench in Chennai, the tribunal granted an interim stay on the irrigation project for two months.
The petitioner appealed to the NGT to declare the scheme illegal as no environmental clearance was obtained.
‘Detailed study needed’
The petitioner also asked the tribunal to direct the Union government to conduct a detailed study on the adverse impact of the scheme on the Krishna River, flora and fauna, livelihood of the people in Telangana and the downstream Srisailam project.
South Zone Bench judicial member K. Ramakrishnan and expert member Saibal Dasgupta in an order issued an interim stay and also constituted an expert committee to submit a report within two months.
The Andhra Pradesh government was responded by senior NGT advocate D. Madhuri Reddy.
