Sitammasagar project hits green hurdle

 HYDERABAD: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) to issue a notice to the state government to stop works on the Sitamma sagar Project, which was being carried out without obtaining the environmental clearance (EC).

The NGT on July 17 stated that the GRMB had powers to take action against the government for violation of the stay orders on the project, responding to which the GRMB said that it would issue a notice to the government to stop the operation of the project with immediate effect.

The NGT further said that it was brought to the knowledge of the GRMB as well as the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEF&CC) that the project was being carried out without an EC and that it had already passed an interim order “not to proceed with the work further without obtaining appropriate EC”.

The NGT further directed the member secretary of the GRMB and the additional chief secretary of irrigation and CAD department of the state to look into the issue and take appropriate action, and ordered to submit a status report before the tribunal before the next hearing which is due on July 24.