NGT Restrains Removal of Silt from Adyapadi and Shambur Dam Backwaters
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has restrained the Karnataka government from removing silt from the backwaters of Adyapadi and Shambur dams in Dakshina Kannada district, citing the lack of environmental clearance.
The order was passed by a bench comprising Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, chairperson of the NGT, and members Justice Sonam Phintso Wangdi and Dr. Nagin Nanda on Tuesday, in response to a petition filed by local residents and environmental activists.
The NGT has directed the state government to immediately stop all silt removal activities in the two dam backwaters until further orders are issued. It has also asked the government to submit a compliance report within a month.
The NGT bench noted that the government had not obtained environmental clearance for the silt removal activities, which were being carried out without any assessment of their impact on the environment and the local ecology.
“The activity of removing silt from the backwaters of Adyapadi and Shambur dams without obtaining prior environmental clearance is a violation of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) notification, 2006, and the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974,” the NGT order stated.
The petitioners had argued that the removal of silt from the backwaters of the two dams was causing damage to the local ecology, including the aquatic life and the biodiversity of the area. They had also claimed that the government had not conducted any environmental assessment before carrying out the silt removal activities.
The NGT bench noted that the government had not responded to the allegations raised by the petitioners and had failed to provide any evidence to support its claim that the silt removal activities were not causing any harm to the environment.
“The government has failed to discharge its obligations under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and the EIA notification, 2006. It has not carried out any environmental impact assessment before undertaking the silt removal activities,” the NGT order stated.
The NGT has also directed the state government to constitute a committee comprising experts from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and other institutions to study the impact of the silt removal activities on the environment and submit a report within three months.
The NGT order has been hailed by environmental activists and local residents who had been protesting against the silt removal activities for several months.
“We welcome the NGT’s decision to restrain the government from carrying out the silt removal activities without environmental clearance. It is a victory for the environment and the local communities who depend on the Adyapadi and Shambur dams for their livelihoods,” said a spokesperson for the environmental group, Save Our Backwaters.
The spokesperson also called for strict action against the officials responsible for carrying out the silt removal activities without obtaining environmental clearance.
“We demand that the government take strict action against the officials who have violated the law and caused damage to the environment. The NGT’s decision should be a warning to all those who think they can carry out illegal activities without facing any consequences,” the spokesperson said.
The NGT order is likely to have wider implications for similar projects across the country, where environmental clearance is not obtained before undertaking such activities.
The order also highlights the need for greater awareness and enforcement of environmental laws and regulations to protect the environment and ensure sustainable development.
The NGT was established in 2010 under the National Green Tribunal Act, with the mandate to handle cases related to environmental protection and conservation. Since then, it has delivered several landmark judgments and orders to protect the environment and promote sustainable development.