Hyderabad: NGT seeks report on Secretariat

Hyderabad: An official team of the NGT (National Green Tribunal) on Thursday visited the site of the proposed new Secretariat building and sought a report from the State government on the measures taken to conserve the environs of the famous Hussain Sagar Lake located next to the Secretariat premises in the heart of the city.

It may be mentioned here that TPCC working president and Malkajigiri Lok Sabha MP A Revanth Reddy lodged a complaint with the NGT against the demolition of the old Secretariat buildings and construction of big structures near the famous lake.The team accompanied by the state Forest and Environment, Pollution Control Board and local civic bodies conducted a random study of the demolition of the giant structures. The NGT officials enquired about the environmental safety measures taken during razing of the structures and shifting of the debris.

The Pollution Board authorities clarified the doubts raised on the increase of air pollution during the demolition.

Official sources said the Tribunal also questioned the government for completing the entire demolition in a just one month. The state officials informed the NGT team that the use of advanced technology could be the main reason for the completion of demolition of all structures in a fast pace. It is learnt that the Green Tribunal expressed displeasure over the government's failure in translocating the trees from the premises. State officials told the team that only a few out of nearly 700 trees were translocated due to various reasons.

During their visit to the Hussain Sagar Lake, the tribunal officials posed a volley of questions to the state officials. The team was apprehensive about the preservation of the lake once the construction of mega secretariat building was completed. It is proposed to construct 11-floor building (four floors dedicated to Command Control) in the final design approved by the state Cabinet recently. The officials of the State Environment department headed by special Chief Secretary A Santi Kumari explained the state's plans to conserve the lake. The NGT officials were told the new structures are coming up outside the buffer zone of the lake.

The NGT team asked the state officials to prepare a report on the environmental impact assessment of the construction of big structure near the lake. The officials informed the team that state government had already submitted a memorandum to the Union Ministry of Environment seeking environmental clearance for the project. State Roads and Building Minister V Prashant Reddy also met the Union government officials and apprised them of the government's efforts in the conversation of the lake abutting the secretariat premises.