NGT Southern Bench Declines Interim Stay on Hyderabad's Future City Development
The southern zone bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in Chennai has refused to grant any interim stay on the Telangana government's ambitious Future City Project planned on the outskirts of Hyderabad. The bench emphasized that interim orders cannot be issued without hearing all parties involved and without the submission of formal counters. Consequently, it directed the Future City Development Authority (FCDA) and the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change (MoEFCC) to file their detailed counters in the case.
Case Adjourned to June for Further Proceedings
The tribunal has adjourned the hearing to June 9, 2024, for further consideration. This decision came during proceedings on a petition filed by Hyderabad-based environmentalist Dr. Dhonthi Narsimha Reddy. Dr. Reddy has alleged that the state government initiated development activities for the massive project without obtaining the mandatory prior environmental clearances, which constitutes a clear violation of established environmental laws and regulations.
Petitioner's Allegations of Statutory Violations
In his petition, Dr. Narsimha Reddy sought a permanent injunction against the development of the Future City project, which spans approximately 30,000 acres across 56 villages. He contended that the FCDA had already commenced infrastructure work, including road laying and tender issuance, without securing the required Environmental Clearances (ECs) for areas located between the Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar highways. This activity, he argued, is adversely affecting agricultural and pastoral landscapes in the region.
Key legal points raised by the petitioner include:
- Under the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) notification of 2006, any township or area development project exceeding 50 hectares requires prior environmental clearance.
- Formal representations sent to the concerned authorities, highlighting these legal requirements and environmental concerns, have reportedly remained unaddressed.
- The petitioner urged the bench to restrain the FCDA from continuing any construction activity in the identified mandals until all necessary legal clearances are obtained.
- He also sought a direction to the Union environment ministry to take formal action against the authority for the alleged statutory violations.
Government's Defense and Assurance
Appearing for the FCDA, Additional Advocate General Tera Rajinikanth Reddy informed the bench that the Future City Project is currently at a very nascent stage. He assured the tribunal that no illegal development activity is taking place at the disputed site. Mr. Reddy further committed that all necessary environmental clearances, as mandated by law, would be obtained at the appropriate time during the project's lifecycle.
The NGT's refusal to grant an interim stay at this juncture, while demanding formal counters from the respondents, sets the stage for a detailed legal examination of the environmental compliance aspects of this significant urban development initiative in Telangana.
