NGT signals no early intervention in Future City project

Hyderabad: National Green Tribunal NGT), southern zone bench in Chennai, on Tuesday indicated that it may be premature to interfere with Telangana govt’s ambitious Future City project at this stage, noting that the proposed Future City Development Authority (FCDA) is intended to facilitate planned and regulated urban development.Hearing a petition challenging the project proposed on the outskirts of Hyderabad, the bench drew a parallel with Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, observing that the latter was established to ensure planned urban expansion and that the FCDA was similarly envisaged as a mechanism for structured development.The petition was filed by Hyderabad-based environmentalist Donthi Narasimha Reddy, who alleged that the govt had commenced development activities for the project without obtaining mandatory prior environmental clearances, in violation of environmental laws.During the hearing, the bench further observed that when the govt itself proposes to undertake development through a structured and planned approach backed by a vision document, interference at this preliminary stage may not be warranted.In his plea, Narasimha Reddy alleged that the govt had initiated development activities without securing the mandatory environmental approvals required under law. He sought a permanent injunction restraining the development of the Future City project, which is proposed to come up over nearly 30,000 acres spread across 56 villages.

The NGT had, in April, declined to grant any stay on the project, stating that interim orders could not be passed without hearing all parties and without counters being filed. It had directed the FCDA and the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change to place their counters on record.Appearing for the FCDA, additional advocate general T Rajinikanth Reddy submitted that the petition was premature and argued that the state could not be compelled to obtain environmental clearance for a development project that had not yet materialised.Taking note of the submissions made by both sides, the bench adjourned the matter to July 14 for further hearing.