A Division Bench of the Andhra Pradesh High Court led by Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur on October 31 (Tuesday) directed the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) to take an appropriate decision on the constructions undertaken by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) on the Rushikonda hillock in Visakhapatnam by considering the report filed by the expert committee nominated by the HC.
The Chief Justice said that the MoEF&CC should also duly take into account the APTDC’s response to whether the violations, which the government had previously claimed were minor, would warrant cancellation or withdrawal of the clearance granted to it on May 19, 2021, and the initiation of any penal action under the Environment (Protection) Act of 1986.
The court further said that the MoEF&CC should make an assessment of the impact of the violations that were mentioned in the report submitted by the expert committee before taking a decision.
In the same vein, the High Court told the committee to ensure whether the steps proposed to be taken for stabilising the vegetation on Rushikonda Hill were adequate, if not, what additional measures were essential for restoration.
It also sought an appropriate decision to be taken by the MoEF&CC and conveyed along with a detailed affidavit within three weeks, and permitted the APTDC to raise the constructions in the meantime, but in strict compliance with the Supreme Court directions dated June 1, 2022.
The above directions were issued in the PILs filed by Visakhapatnam East MLA Velagapudi Ramakrishna Babu and Jana Sena Party corporator P.V.L.N. Murthy Yadav against the violations of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms and other relevant laws in the process of the construction of a luxury tourist retreat by the APTDC.
The matter has been posted for next hearing on November 29, 2023.
