HYDERABAD: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has said that the state government cannot start work on the Sitammasagar multipurpose project without obtaining a separate environmental clearance (EC) for it.
The government had submitted to the NGT that the multipurpose project was a part of the Sitarama lift irrigation project which had secured the clearance.
The NGT observed that a separate environmental impact assessment study was conducted for the Sitammasagar project and the Union environment, forest and climate change ministry had issued terms of reference.
This showed that the multipurpose project required a separate environmental clearance, the NGT said.
In an order dated April 26, the NGT said, “Unless and until the environmental clearance is obtained by them, they cannot commence the project.”
The tribunal stressed that if the project proponent was in a hurry, it was for them to expedite the process to get appropriate certificates and approvals from various departments and that they could commence on the project only upon getting the environmental clearance.
