Telangana writes to KRMB to stop work on Avulapalli project in AP

The Engineer –in- Chief (General), Irrigation and CAD, C Muralidhar also requested KRMB to address the issue to Environment Impact Assessment Authority of the Ministry of Environment and Forests to keep in abeyance the environment clearance granted to the scheme

Hyderabad: The State Irrigation Department has strongly opposed the construction of the Avulapalli balancing reservoir in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh without due approvals.

The Engineer –in- Chief (General), Irrigation and CAD, C Muralidhar on Thursday wrote to the Chairman of the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) seeking immediate action to restrain Andhra Pradesh from going ahead with the work on the project. He also requested the KRMB to address the issue to the Environment Impact Assessment Authority of the Ministry of Environment and Forests to keep in abeyance the environment clearance granted to the scheme.

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He pointed out that National Green Tribunal (NGT) Z) has imposed a penalty of Rs.100 crore on AP for its bid to secure environmental clearance under B2-Category to avoid a detailed environmental impact study and public hearing. The Tribunal had also directed the AP to stop the works in Avulapalli with effective from May 11, 2023.

Andhra Pradesh is, however, continuing with the construction work on Avulapally balancing reservoir ignoring the direction of the Supreme Court also, he pointed out.