Supreme Court to Hear Andhra Pradesh Plea on Avulapalli Reservoir

The Andhra Pradesh government’s challenge to the National Green Tribunal’s decision to revoke the environmental clearance for the Avulapalli reservoir will be heard by the Supreme Court on May 17. Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala’s bench agreed to hear the matter after senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi requested an urgent hearing, and they scheduled it for two days from now, citing the project’s public nature.

Rohatgi emphasized the exceptional nature of the case, pointing out that the NGT had revoked the reservoir’s environmental clearance on May 11, which had been granted by the State-level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA). The NGT’s decision came in response to a plea filed by farmers challenging the validity of the environmental clearance. Additionally, the NGT imposed a Rs 100 crore penalty on the Andhra Pradesh government, payable to the Krishna River Management Board within three months.

In its ruling, the NGT expressed deep concern over the government department’s egregious violation of environmental laws and its use of falsehood, misrepresentation, and deception to push through the irrigation project. The NGT warned that if a government department could engage in such misconduct, it could set a precedent for other organizations seeking to skirt environmental regulations for financial gain.