NGT Recommends ₹53 Cr Compensation to Address Damage

In a significant development, a two-member committee, constituted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests as per the orders of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), has recommended imposing environmental compensation of ₹53 crore on the state government for the ecological damage caused due to illegal construction and expansion of Sitamma Sagar Multi-Purpose Project.

- MANDA RAVINDER REDDY @Hyderabad

Upon finding that the project was found to be under construction without prior environmental clearance, the Ministry of Environment and Forests has issued a closure order to stop the construction in January 2023. During the same period, Tellam Naresh of Khammam district also filed a petition with the NGT, following which the southern bench of the Tribunal ordered the ministry to constitute a committee to assess the damage caused to the ecology and environment due to the construction of the project without environmental clearance.