AP government pays ₹4.39 crore fine to APPCB for green norm violation in lift schemes

Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh government has informed the Supreme Court that it deposited ₹ 4.39 crore with the AP Pollution Control Board. This was towards the fine imposed on the state by National Green Tribunal for violation of green norms in the execution of the Purushothapatnam and Pattiseema lift irrigation schemes.

A division bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Aravind Kumar heard the case in New Delhi on Tuesday. The court was informed that the AP water resources department paid the penalty to the AP-PCB.

Petitioner’s counsel prayed for a direction to use the penalty amount towards distribution of relief to the project-affected people.

However, the apex court observed that the penalty amount should be used only for works to protect the environment. It called for giving relief to the project-affected people as per norms laid down in the Land Acquisition Act, 2013.

Based on petitions filed by Pentapati Pulla Rao and Jammula Choudaraiah on violation of green norms in the execution of two lift schemes, the NGT slapped a fine of ₹ 2.48 crore with regard to the Purushothapatnam lift irrigation scheme and ₹ 1.90 crore for the Pattiseema lift irrigation scheme earlier.

The court posted the next hearing in the case to October.