NGT slaps notice on Telangana State government

Hyderabad: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a notice to Telangana State government over alleged illegal construction of a farmhouse at Janwada near Hyderabad by Telangana IT Minister and Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's son KT Rama Rao.

The notices were also issued to the State Pollution Control Board (PCB) and Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HDMA) in connection with the case.

In his plea, Congress's Revanth Reddy alleged that the construction violates a Government Order (GO 111). Revanth Reddy accused KTR of buying the 25 acre site and building structures flouting Government Order 111 which prohibits putting up permanent structures in the catchment area of the Osmansagar Lake.

Following the plea, the NGT had set up a fact-finding committee, headed by the Central Environment Registry Regional Office. The committee had been asked to submit its report in two months and examine whether the 2018 NGT judgment in GO 111 case is being implemented in the state.

Congress has alleged that KTR's three-storey farmhouse was constructed in violation of the green norms. The Congress MP was arrested in March for flying a drone unlawfully over the farmhouse. Reddy was released on bail on March 18.