Andhracafe.com- HYDERABAD : The National Environmental Appellate Authority on Monday quashed the environmental clearance given to the Polavaram project by the Union environment and forests ministry. It took this unprecedented step after hearing a petition filed by a Visakhapatnam-based NGO called Samatha.

       Meanwhile, the AP major irrigation minister, Ponnala Lakshmaiah, said that the government would file an appeal against the order in the High Court. The NGO argued before the NEAA that the factors of flooding, damage to environment and flora and fauna had not been taken into account before clearing the inter-state project involving Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and Chhattisgarh. 
        According to the counsel for the petitioner, the ministry acted on pressure exerted by the state government to clear the project which involved a huge investment of Rs 9,000 crore. A bench of the NEAA comprising of Justice J.C Kala, Dr I.B. Mannavan and  Kushalendra Prasad heard the petition.
        No public hearing was conducted in Orissa and Chhattisgarh to ascertain how many people would be affected and how many would need rehabilitation, said the counsel. “While governments say about 3,000 families will be displaced, we feel that one lakh people are likely to be displaced,” said the counsel.
        The state government, however,  disagreed with the contention of the NEAA that public hearings should be conducted in two other states also. “As per the notification, public hearing has to be conducted in just one place,” said a senior irrigation official.“
        Accordingly, we held public hearing in Bhadrachalam on October 15, 2005, and informed officials of Orissa and Chattisgarh about it.” However, it is known that the Centre subsequently changed rules and made public hearing compulsory in other states too if it is an inter project state.

        Officials have now suggested that the respective governments be asked to conduct public hearings on behalf of the AP government.  “Public hearings are meant to inform the people,” said an official. “They are not a referendum.”
         Meanwhile, Tulasi Das, who represents the families affected by the project, said the tribunal order proved their contention that the government was resorting to backdoor methods to get clearances. The Telangana Rashtra Samiti also demanded that the government hold a new public hearing in the state in view of the NEAA order.