The Andhra Pradesh Government, in its reply to the show-cause notice served by the Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) for the delay in conducting public hearings in Orissa and Chhattisgarh on the Polavaram project, faulted the Ministry itself.

Major Irrigation Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah said that as laid down in the Environmental Impact Assessment notification of 2006, the MoEF should itself conduct the a hearing if States fail to do so within 45 days.

The Minister said the show-cause notice dated November 1, 2010, reached the state Government only six days later. He found no logic in the MoEF issuing a notice to the state for a delay for which it was also responsible.

Published Date : Thursday, NOV 11, 11:33AM IST

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