Construction activities in Andhra's new capital, Amaravati, gets NGT's nod

The NGT refused to interfere in the clearance given by the ministry of forests and environment

Construction activities can now begin at Andhra Pradesh's proposed capital, Amaravati. The National Green Tribunal on Friday refused to interfere in the environment clearance granted to Andhra Pradesh's new capital. The nod, however, comes with riders.

The tribunal while allowing construction activities at Amaravati, stressed that no developmental works should hamper micro-ecology, embankments or courses if rivers in the areas proposed. The NGT has asked the Andhra Pradesh government to conduct a comprehensive study in areas proposed for construction works. The state government has also been asked to set up sewage water treatment plants. The NGT has proposed setting up of two committees, one implementation committee- that will meet every month and another- a supervisory committee- that will meet every three months to determine whether more regulations were necessary.

The Chandrababu Naidu government had been waiting for the NGT's nod since April this year after social activists P Srimannarayana, E A S Sarma and others filed a case objecting to multi-crop fields and floodplains being cleared to build the new capital. The plea contended that the government had proposed large-scale urbanization and infrastructure development on areas, comprising floodplains, wetlands and fertile agricultural land which were primarily paddy fields.

With PTI inputs