Andhracafe.com- HYDERABAD : The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Monday suspended the order of the National Environmental Appellate Authority (NEAA)cancelling the Central government’s environmental clearance for the Polavaram project.

        A division bench comprising Justice Meena Kumari and Justice G. Rohini ordered interim suspension of NEAA’s directive and issued notices to all the respondents  including Orissa and Chattisgarh to file counters.
        NEAA had quashed the environmental clearance given to Polavaram by the Union environment and forest ministry on December 19 on an appeal filed the Academy of Mountain Environics, a non governmental organisation. The State government then filed a petition in the HC urging it to quash NEAA orders. 
        The bench, which allowed the petition and posted the case to February 11, observed that NEAA had no power to deal with a petition challenging the clearances granted by the Centre for a irrigation project. 
        According to the Section 11 and Section 11 (1) of Environmental Appellate Authority Act, NEAA can deal with industrial units. But there was no mention of irrigation projects or water bodies, said the HC. Advocate General, C.V. Mohan Reddy, told the HC that the government had spend Rs 1500 crore on the project and if work was stopped it would cause great loss.