New Delhi, Feb 26 (PTI) The Supreme Court Friday refused to entertain a plea seeking implementation of National Green Tribunal order on the expansion of Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project in Telangana.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde said it was not the the executing court of the NGT order and for that matter any tribunal.

It allowed senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for the petitioners, to withdraw the petition with liberty to take appropriate remedies in accordance with law.

" Prayer is allowed. Accordingly, the writ petition is dismissed as withdrawn with the liberty aforesaid,” the bench also comprising Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian said.

The apex court was hearing plea filed by advocate Thummanapally Srinivas and others seeking implementation of NGT's October 20, 2020 order.

According to the plea the respondents failed to implement the directions of the NGT which directed the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) to constitute the 7-member expert committee and suggest relief and rehabilitation measures to be adopted.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest has set up a committee consisting of members of Experts Appraisal Committee but it has not issued any show cause notice/directions to State of Telangana for committing violations and further expanding the project without Environment Clearance, it said.

The NGT had held that environmental clearance was granted to the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project in Telangana "ex post facto" in violation of legal requirements and formed a committee to assess the damage caused as also to suggest restoration measures.

“The Telangana State and Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Corporation have been under taking construction activities inviolation of the Judgment, orders of the National Green Tribunal, directions of Union Ministry of Jal Shakti. 

“The Petitioners have been requesting Respondents to implement the Judgment and Order of National Green Tribunal and stop damaging the environment, lands of petitioners and other similarly situated persons. But they are not following the rule of law and going ahead with the construction work,” the plea said.PTI PKS MNL SJK

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