Supreme Court notice to Centre, AP, Telangana on Polavaram project

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday sought the response of the Centre and the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odhisa, and Chhattisgarh challenging the implementation of the Polavaram project.

A Bench of Justices Madan Lokur and Deepak Gupta issued notice after hearing counsel Saravan Kumar appearing for petitioner RELA, NGO, wh-ich challenged the orders of national green tribunal which refused to go in-to the issue on the grou-nd that the matter is pending in the apex court. 

Counsel pleaded that since the Polvaram project was nearing completion, it should be decided expeditiously.

The petitioner said in the case of Polavaram Project, the statuary provisions of The Scheduled Tribes and Other Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006, The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act 2013, Environment (Protection) Act 1986, The Forest (Conservation) Act 1980 are blatantly and continuously violated by Polavaram Project Authority under Union Water Resource Ministry and the other Ministries.

It alleged that these ministries have become silent spectators and are not protecting the environment and project affected people. They are not performing their statuary duties prescribed under various welfare laws/Acts and even the Constitution. It pointed out that eight cases are pending before this Court pertaining to illegalities in Polavaram Project for more than a decade. 

It said there has been large-scale destruction of environment, forest and irreparable loss to about four lakhs people including two and half lakhs Tribals and Dalits. This is likely to take place in the states of Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. The members of the Petitioner organization are likely to lose their valuable fertile lands, houses under Polavaram Project hence they are affected parties, it said and prayed for quashing the NGT order and urged the apex court to decide the matter.