Order of the National Green Tribunal in the matter of Dr. Pentapati Pulla Rao Vs Union of India & Others dated 23/02/2021.

Grievance in this application was against illegal dumping of muck by the Polavaram Project Authority on the land of the applicant (Dr. Pentapati Pulla Rao) and need for remedial action against adverse impact of coferdam on upstream areas.

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Main contention on behalf of the applicant was that while the EC was granted in 2005 and revised in 2009 but the project was expanded in the year 2016 when further land was acquired, without taking additional precautions to utilize the adverse impact of additional activities.

The bench of Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Sheo Kumar Singh of the NGT stated that the issue needed to be addressed by preparing an appropriate action plan by a Committee with relevant experts and headed by a former Judge. The NGT directed the constitution of a six member committee to be headed by Justice B. Seshasayana Reddy and with nominees of the MoEF&CC, Central Pollution Control Board, Central Soil and Water Conservation Research Institute, Dehradun, IIT, Hyderabad and IIT, Delhi. The Committee would visit the site at least once and conduct public hearing, if necessary.