The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Babli: apex court to hear State's plea on April 25

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 06, 2007
ePaper

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Others

Babli: apex court to hear State's plea on April 25

J. Venkatesan

New Delhi: The Supreme Court will hear on April 25 an application filed by Andhra Pradesh seeking an interim injunction to restrain Maharashtra from proceeding with the construction of the Babli project within the water spread area of Pochampad reservoir.

A Bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justice R.V. Raveendran fixed the date of hearing after senior counsel P.P. Rao, appearing for the State, made a mention for urgent interim relief. He said the Maharashtra Government was proceeding with the construction at a rapid pace. Mr. Rao said that Maharashtra was proceeding with the construction in violation of the orders of the Central Water Commission.

Appearing for Maharashtra, senior counsel T.R. Andhyarujina opposed the plea saying that the apex court had already rejected the interim relief on four occasions since March 2006 and this was the fifth application being filed by Andhra Pradesh.

He said Maharashtra was constructing the barrage within its own territory. In its application, the Andhra Pradesh Government said that there was a heated discussion in the State Assembly on March 24 on the issue. Members had expressed concern about the impact of construction on Telengana region which had no other source of drinking and irrigation water.

On March 31, a team led by Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking his intervention.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh