New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday has criticised the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest over an expert committee that was assigned to look into the 2000 MW Lower Subansiri Project along with Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border.
Taking up a petition filed by Assam Public Works (APW) opposing a three-member expert committee set up by the environment ministry, the NGT has opined that two or three more independent experts could be included in the committee.
Keeping its order reserved, NGT bench comprising Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, Justice SP Wangdi, Justice K Ramakrishnan and expert member Dr Nagin Nanda has asked the ministry to come with reply over the inclusion of new members.
"The NGT heard us and opined for the inclusion of 2-3 more independent members in the expert committee," said advocate Sanjay Upadhyay, counsel for the petitioner.
Talking to ETV Bharat, APW president Abhijeet Sharma said, "Our claim has been supported by the NGT. The honourable court has also asked the government to include a few independent experts in the committee."
After the Union Environment Ministry formed an expert committee to look into the issues over 2000 MW Lower Subansiri Project, APW has filed a petition in the court opposing the committee.
APW said that the members of the committee are partial to National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC).
The NHPC had initiated the 2000 MW national hydropower project along Assam Arunachal Pradesh border but its work has been halted for last several years after several organisations including APW, Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity (KMSS), AASU have opposed to the dam citing risk to the environment and people. end.
