HC adjourns petition on Polavaram to Dec 27

Hyderabad, Dec 26 (UNI) The Andhra Pradesh High Court today adjourned to tomorrow the hearing on a writ petition questioning the National Environment Appellate Authority's (NEAA) order cancelling the clearance given to Povalaram project.

A Division Bench, comprising Ms Justice T Meena Kumari and Ms Justice G Rohini, adjourned the hearing on the writ filed by the Andhra Pradesh State Irrigation Department after senior counsels appearing on behalf of private citizens raised an objection to hearing the case on the ground that the government had not submitted its papers on the project.

After Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board gave environmental clearance for the project, some private organisations questioned the decision, claiming that the government had obtained the same by exerting pressure and without conducting a public hearing on the mega project.

The Appellate Tribunal was of the view that the government ought to have conducted a survey of the likely impact of the project, on human habitation and environment. However, no such effort had been taken. Hence, per se, the sanction was without any authority of law, it held.

UNI