The National Green Tribunal on Friday stalled the much-publicised Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (RLIS), the pet project of Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, stating that the project works should not be taken up without proper environmental clearance from the Centre.
A bench of the NGT including Justice Ramakrishna and Dr K Satyagopal, which reserved its judgement in October, after a year-long hearing on the petitions filed by several individuals, delivered its verdict on Friday.
The Rayalaseema lift irrigation scheme is set to be a game-changer for the region as it aims to provide assured water to the entire 19 lakh acres in the four districts.
So far, the partially-completed irrigation schemes could occasionally help irrigate about eight lakh acres while the remaining 11 lakh acres were left parched.
The Rayalaseema lift irrigation scheme, when completed, will draw three TMC of water per day (up to 8tmc) from Sangameshwaram and pump it into the Srisailam right main canal (SRMC).
The green tribunal said it was constituting an expert committee to study the project thoroughly and report on the extent of violation of environmental norms done so far. The committee has been asked to submit its report within four months.
The tribunal, however, ruled out taking any contempt of court action against Andhra Pradesh chief secretary. If the government goes ahead with the projects works in violation of the environmental norms, it would have to face the consequences, the NGT warned.
Earlier, the Krishna River Management Board, which sent an expert committee to inspect the project works, also reported to the NGT that there were clear violations of environmental norms in the RLIS.
However, Andhra Pradesh has stated that the works taken up at the site were not in violation of the NGT order, but to only prepare a Detailed Project Report. It said no works were taken up for RLIS at the project site after they were stopped in the first week of July.
The counsel for the state government maintained that the works taken up earlier too were for the preparation of the Detailed Project Report. He said there was no secrecy and hiding of facts on RLIS project works and DPR preparation.
