NGT issues notice to KTR on his alleged illegal farmhouse construction

National Green Tribunal issued notice to minister KT Rama Rao on his alleged illegal farmhouse construction at Janwada in Hyderabad violating GO 111. The notices were also issued to the Telangana government, Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB) and Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA).

The notices were issued in response to the petition filed by Congress working president Revanth Reddy.

NGT also set up a fact-finding committee headed by the union ministry of environment. Officials of TSPCB, GHMC, water works, HMDA and Rangareddy district collector are appointed as committee members. NGT directed the committee to submit a report within two months on the measures being taken up on full-fledged implementation GO 111 in the state issued in 2018.

GO 111 is in place in about 60-80 villages in Rangareddy district. Based on GO 111, Ministry of Environment and Telangana government have restricted the construction of buildings near Osmansagar in Gandipet and Himayat Sagar from where the water is being supplied to the city.

Revanth Reddy alleged that the construction of the farmhouse (which is said to be KTR's) in restricted in the area according to the GO 111. However, KTR had said earlier that he did not construct the farmhouse and has only taken it for lease.