Oppn Congress behind NGT stay on Kaleshwaram project: Rao

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao today alleged that opposition Congress leaders were behind a petition filed in the National Green Tribunal (NGT) which imposed a stay on the Kaleshwaram irrigation project works.
"Yesterday, Green Tribunal gave a stay on Kaleswaram. Who got it (stay)? Whole world knows that former deputy chief minister Damodar Rajanarsimha (of Congress) is behind it. Whole world knows," Rao told repoters here.
The National Green Tribunal yesterday ordered an interim stay on Telangana government's Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project which aims to take water to its drought-hit regions, due to lack of environmental clearances.
A bench headed by Justice Jawad Rahim restrained Maharashtra and Irrigation and CAD Department of Telangana from carrying out any construction activities on the Rs 80,500 crore project until mandatory statutory clearances including environment and forest clearances are granted.

The state government has said it would appeal in the Supreme Court against the NGT ordering the interim stay on the Kaleswaram lift irrigation project.
"We will appeal in the Supreme Court against NGT's order. The government has decided to appeal against the stay imposed by NGT on Kaleswaram project works," the state government said.