HYDERABAD: Telangana irrigation department special chief secretary Rajat Kumar has filed a counter-affidavit in the National Green Tribunal, Chennai bench, against the stop-work order issued by the tribunal regarding the Palamuru Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS).
Telangana irrigation department informed NGT that the project has to be brought to a safe level and said stopping of work will cause substantial financial loss to the public exchequer. NGT on October 29, 2021, issued interim order against proceeding with PRLIS without obtaining environmental clerance.
Following this chief secretary of Telangana or officer not below the rank of chief engineer of secretary level responsible for implementation of project was asked to give an undertaking they will not proceed with work. Telangana irrigation special chief secretary filed the compliance.
“Numerous contractors with their machinery, labour, establishment and infrastructure were in the execution of works. The executing agencies in the process of closing the works as per Tribunal order made several preparatory works for closing the works duly brining the respective parts of the works to a safe level. It is incorrect to say that the works are still on,” Kumar informed NGT.
“Allegation that there is no such practice of safe level in regard to stoppage of constructions works in incorrect. In a project like this work cannot be stopped on the spur of moment, they have to be necessarily brought to a safe level and then stopped with takes some reasonable time. If works are not brought to safe level and stopped this will lead to damage of men and machinery engaged in process of execution and it will also damage works that have already been executed which results in waste of public money,” he said.
