KalingaTV News Network
Bhubaneswar: In a major relief to Odisha and setback to Chhattisgarh, Calcutta High Court on Wednesday asked the Chhattisgarh government to withdraw its writ petition it had filed challenging the stay on the construction of 31 projects on the upper catchment of Mahanadi river imposed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
The Eastern Zone Bench of NGT at Kolkata had issued the stay order on 26th July, 2017.
The NGT had directed the Chhattisgarh government to put on hold all construction work on the upper catchment of river Mahanadi pointing out its impact on environment, ecology, biodiversity and on the downstream population in the state of Odisha critically dependent on Mahanadi river.
The Tribunal had also observed from the affidavit filed by the State Level Environment Impact Assessment (EIA), Chhattisgarh that a number of projects (barrage projects/ irrigation schemes/ water diversion schemes) had received environment clearance from the State Level EIA but were yet to be commissioned. The NGT observed that since the matter is pending before them, they would expect that the State of Chhattisgarh would not execute such projects till the matter is sub judice before them.
The matter has been adjourned till November 2, 2017 on specific request of the State of Chhattisgarh and the Bench of the court gave the Respondents the liberty to file replies if they wish to do so although sit was not asked by them.
Ms Kalinga