The National Green Tribunal in New Delhi on Thursday will hear the case relating to the 2000 MW Lower Subansiri Hydro Power project and the validity of an expert committee setup by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests.
The Delhi based NGT will take up the hearing in the much controversial big dam case after it was shifted from the Kolkata branch of the NGT last week.
The hearing will be held at the division bench of Justice Dr Jawad Rahim and Justice Dr Nagin Nanda.
Interestingly, Ministry of Environment and Forests last month has issued an order for the next meeting of the expert committee in Guwahati on Thursday. The committee was set up by the eastern branch of the national Green Tribunal Kolkata, which was challenged by the Assam Public Works, a petitioner in the big dam case.
The Delhi bench of NGT led by Justice Rahim after hearing the petitioner on Monday has stated that the Eastern Zone Bench was categorical in expressing its seriousness on the objections raised by the applicant with regard to the constitution of the Committee.
In view of this, Justice Rahim stated that since the constitution of the committee had been challenged, it would not be proper for the said committee to conduct its business and directed that the meeting should be deferred on such grounds.
“Justice Rahim also directed the Ministry of Environment and Forests to place on record its contentions on the wisdom in constituting such committee on the next date of hearing,” said Abhijit Sharma, APW president.
On January 18, APW challenged the constitution of three-member expert committee in pursuance of the judgment on October last year by the NGT. The three members of the committee are Dr Prabhas Pande, Dr I D Gupta and PM Scott.