The National Green Tribunal (NGT) took suo motu cognisance of the issue of damage in Mallannasagar, the largest reservoir under Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS) in Hyderabad, Telangana.
The petition is registered suo motu on the basis of the news item appearing in the daily newspaper dated January 7, 2024.
The news item revealed that CAG has pointed out the grave mistake of constructing the Mallannasagar, the largest reservoir under Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS) in Hyderabad, Telangana with a storage capacity of 50 tmc ft (thousand million cubic feet), without conducting detailed seismic studies.
It mentioned that drawings were approved and the reservoir was constructed in undue haste without conducting necessary investigations and studies.
It also revealed that CAG has expressed serious concern over the lapse by stating that a project was built without conducting seismic study and in the absence of any emergency action plan, the government has left the reservoir as well as lives of the people nearby at increased risk.
Similar matter was taken up by the Tribunal in 2023 of a news item where a glacial lake out-burst of South Lhonak Lake in North Sikkim, had caused flood in Teesta River leading to several deaths and destruction. In that incident, about 5.08 million cubic meters of water was released from hydro reservoir affecting mountains and communities as there was a breach of stringent safety measures.
The news item raises substantial issue relating to compliance of environmental norms.
“Power of the Tribunal to take up the matter in suo-motu exercise of power has been recognized by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the matter of “Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai vs. Ankita Sinha & Ors.” reported in 2021 SCC Online SC 897.”
Hence, the Principal Bench of Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Dr. A Senthil Vel impleaded the following as respondents in the matter:
i. Irrigation and Command Area Development (CAD) through its Engineer in Chief.
ii. Deputy Collector/District Magistrate, Hyderabad.
iii. Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change through its Secretary.
Since the matter relates to the Southern Zone Bench, Chennai, therefore , the Bench transferred the matter to the Southern Zone Bench for appropriate further action. Office is directed by the NGT to transfer the original record to the Southern Zone Bench and the matter is listed on 10.04.2024.