Order of the National Green Tribunal (Southern Zone, Chennai in the matter of Puducherry Environment Protection Association Vs Union of India and Others dated 26/05/2020. The matter related to plan for withdrawal of water from Ousuddu lake a wetland in Puducherry.

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The NGT in its order of February 4, 2020 had directed for the appointment of a a Joint Committee comprising of the Chief Wild Life Warden Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, Senior Scientist/ Officer of Regional Office, Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Chennai, an Officer/Scientist from Wetland Authority of both Tamil Nadu and Puducherry State and a Scientist from Wild Life Institute, Dehradun to conduct a study and submit a report .

The report would look into the impact that the withdrawal of water would have on the wetland and whether it can be permitted, keeping in mind the protection of the water body for the purpose of maintaining the bio-diversity and the flora, fauna and the migratory birds in that area. The report would also consider the question as to whether any approval was required form the Chief Wildlife Warden as well as the National Board of Wildlife for this purpose. The Committee requested for more time to submit the report, which the NGT acceded to and directed for the report to be filed by August 10.