New Delhi [India], May 24 (ANI): The Supreme Court has put on hold an order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) which had imposed a penalty of Rs 100 crore on Andhra Pradesh for obtaining environmental clearance for the Avulapalli reservoir project in violation of environmental norms.

A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and MM Sundresh has stayed the direction given in the order with regard to penalty/compensation, subject to the State government depositing an amount of Rs 25 crore with the authorities within a period of eight weeks.

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The apex court in its order stated, "Issue notice, returnable in the month of October 2023. In the meanwhile, there will be a stay on the direction given in the impugned judgment with regard to penalty/compensation, subject to the appellants depositing an amount of Rs.25 crore with the authorities within a period of eight weeks."

The order of the apex court came on a plea filed by the Andhra Pradesh government challenging an order of the green tribunal which set aside environmental clearance granted to the Avulapalli reservoir in the state.

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On May 11, the NGT, on the plea filed by farmers, had set aside the environmental clearance given by the state-level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) for the construction of the Avulapalli balancing reservoir.

It had also imposed a penalty of Rs 100 crore on Andhra Pradesh payable to the Krishna River Management Board within three months. (ANI)

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