Will challenge National Green Tribunal (NGT) order in Supreme Court, says Assam Public Works (APW)

GUWAHATI: The Assam Public Works (APW) is ready to challenge in the Supreme Court of India the three-member expert committee formed by the Centre to assess the downstream impact of the Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric Power Project. Even though the committee has no expert from the Northeast, it was okayed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday when the case was heard.

Earlier, based on a PIL filed by the APW, on October 16, 2017 the NGT asked the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest to constitute a three-member expert committee to assess downstream impact of the hydroelectric power project and include a member from the Northeast. However, the Union ministry formed a committee with Dr. Prabhas Pande, Dr. ID Gupta and PM Scott as its members. However, none of the three members is from the Northeast.

The bench of the NGT comprising Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, Justice SP Wangi and Justice Nagin Nanda heard the plea of the APW on Monday and okayed the committee.

Talking to The Sentinel, APW president Abhijit Sarma said: “The view to be given by the three-member expert committee can’t be impartial as it has no member from the Northeast. We’ve no way out but to challenge the NGT’s order in the Supreme Court of India.”

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