Zee Media Bureau/Ajith Vijay Kumar
New Delhi: Acting on a plea filed by National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), the Supreme Court issued, Monday, a notice to the Uttarakhand government seeking its view on the stay on construction activity on 24 hydro power projects in the state that was imposed after the 2013 flood tragedy.
The apex court, in August last year, restrained the Centre and the Uttarakhand government from granting any environmental or forest clearance hydroelectric power projects in the state. The court also stayed the construction work on 24 out of total 39 proposed projects.
The Uttarakhand government had also moved to SC against the ban imposed on its hydroelectric power projects, official sources said.
In its interlocutory application, NTPC has sought a rethink on the ban, contending that the court order has caused huge monetary losses to the company.
After last year`s natural calamity, the Supreme Court had constituted a High Level Committee for an assessment of hydro-power projects and present a detailed report on it. However, the committee`s opinion was divided on the matter. Some members proposed for continuation of ban while others argued for the completion of stalled projects.
However, the Centre had wanted to set up another panel to assess the report prepared by the previous panel.
