NGT dismisses plea seeking review of its order on panel for Lakhwar project

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has dismissed a plea seeking review of its order to form a multi-disciplinary committee that was tasked with submitting a report on the Lakhwar Multipurpose Project in Uttarakhand.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice A K Goel said there is no merit in the review application and is liable to be dismissed. Grievance in the review application is that constituting a multi-disciplinary committee to give its opinion on the issues emerging in the matter, for effective adjudication of the matter, is without jurisdiction. Constitution of the committee is not proper.

On due consideration, we do not find any merit in the review application. Jurisdiction of this tribunal to constitute a committee to opine on any issue subject to decision of the tribunal is beyond question in view of law, the bench said.

The NGT had constituted the independent expert committee, headed by Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources, to study the viability of the project, mitigating the adverse impact on environment and also about resettlement and rehabilitation of inhabitants.

The bench had said these domain experts would look into their respective fields and the data would be collated collectively.

In its order dated January 20, the NGT had directed the committee to complete the study within two months in the light of available data or such other data as may be required to be collected .

It had then given the committee four months to complete the proceedings and file its report before the tribunal on or before June 30.

The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by environment activist Manoj Mishra against the environmental clearance granted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests for the Lakhwar Multipurpose Project by the Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited.

The plea had contended that the drinking water/irrigation component of the project had not been appraised and the Expert Appraisal Committee went beyond its mandate while conducting its meeting for granting the environmental clearance to the project.

The Lakhwar Multipurpose Project will produce 300 megawatt of electricity. The 330 million cubic metres water in its reservoir will supply irrigation and drinking water to Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi.