New Delhi: The Eastern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) Wednesday ordered the Chhattisgarh government not to go ahead with the upcoming six projects on River Mahanadi without prior approval from the court. While the order has come as a jolt to the BJP-ruled state, the green court also fixed for August 25 the hearing of the case relating to projects on the river.
Sudarsan Das, a social activist from Orissa linked to the Agami Orissa, an apolitical forum, had moved the court seeking its intervention and a halt to these six projects, citing environmental reasons.
The court was told during the hearing that works on more than 50 projects of the Chhattisgarh government were currently on while the six more were in the pipeline.
The petitioner appealed to the court to stop construction works in the catchment areas of Mahanadi, saying it would otherwise potentially threaten the livelihoods of the people in Orissa.
The six projects had reportedly got the environmental nod from the authorities some time ago.
Post News Network
