Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has directed officials to adopt a time-bound and focused approach to obtain environmental clearances for four critical irrigation projects in Telangana. The projects include the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS), Sitarama Sagar, Dindi, and Gouravelli. The directive came during a high-level review meeting held on Monday, where the Minister emphasized leveraging a recent Supreme Court judgment that has clarified procedures for environmental clearance processes across the country.
The Minister stated that the Supreme Court’s verdict has provided clear guidelines on the legal status of projects with valid environmental clearances, pending applications, rejected proposals, and those seeking post-facto approval. Uttam Kumar Reddy instructed officials to utilize this opportunity to expeditiously pursue every eligible case with the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and other statutory authorities. The meeting was attended by Ministers Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Ponnam Prabhakar, and MP Balaram Naik, among other senior officials.
The Minister outlined that projects with previously granted valid environmental clearances would remain protected, while pending applications could be processed according to the Supreme Court’s directions. For proposals that were rejected earlier, he instructed officials to examine each case individually and resubmit them wherever legally permissible after addressing technical and procedural deficiencies. Uttam Kumar Reddy emphasized that this judgment, which will have far-reaching implications for environmental clearances nationwide, was delivered following Telangana’s sustained legal efforts to secure clearances for its irrigation projects.
A strict timeline has been established for the clearance process. Nodal officers must be designated and all available records consolidated within seven days. Updated environmental studies, compliance reports, land records, and legal documents should be completed within 30 days, while the principal administrative and application-processing stages must be concluded within 60 days. The government aims to secure project-specific environmental clearances within six months, wherever feasible and subject to statutory procedures. Weekly progress reports will be submitted, and cases will be reviewed at the senior level every month.
The Minister stressed the importance of thorough preparation of environmental-impact studies, rehabilitation and resettlement plans, forest-clearance documents, land-acquisition records, and counter-affidavits required for court proceedings. He directed officials to equip themselves with the complete history of every project, including original clearances, subsequent changes in scope, redesign, expansion or relocation, pending applications, court cases, compliance requirements, and any penalties. The Minister made it clear that there could be no laxity in preparing these critical documents.
Uttam Kumar Reddy also instructed the department to strengthen its Inter-State Wing and equip it with adequate technical, environmental, and legal expertise to pursue clearances and protect Telangana’s interests before the Union Government, the National Green Tribunal, the Supreme Court, and other judicial and statutory forums. He emphasized that environmental, forest, rehabilitation, land-acquisition, and compensation-related issues must be addressed before significant alterations are made to project designs, stating that such compliance is essential not only to avoid litigation but also to safeguard the legitimate interests of farmers, landowners, and project-affected families. Additionally, the Gouravelli pump is to be kept ready for operation, and Polavaram backwater impact studies will be fast-tracked as part of the comprehensive clearance strategy.
