The Chennai Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) restrained the Nagarjuna Construction Company Ltd (NCCL) from carrying out any activity related to the multiproduct industry zone proposed to be developed on the wetlands at Sompeta in Srikakulam district till further orders.
The judgment was on a petition filed by Y. Krishna Murthy, president of the Paryavarana Parirakshana Sangham, at Sompeta against the activities being carried out by NCCL on the basis of the permission given by the State government through G.O. Ms No. 329 dated September 9, 2015.
Mr. Krishna Murthy’s grievance is that the industrial zone would damage the wetlands, and that the project is in violation of the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010.
In its order, the NGT said the State government should involve the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON) in mapping the wetland for its inclusion in the National Wetland Atlas in continuation of a study done by SACON.
The tribunal also directed the State Wetland Authority to notify not only the Sompeta wetland complex but also all wetlands in Andhra Pradesh under the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 in a specified timeframe.
Besides, the NGT ordered that the State should not permit any activity in the wetlands included in the National Wetland Atlas prepared by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and not assign or lease any part of the wetlands.
