The Supreme Court today declined to entertain a PIL questioning the decision to develop new capital city of Andhra Pradesh on the southern side of river Krishna near Vijayawada without adequate environment clearances.
"Only at the time of construction activities, environment clearances are required and not before that," a bench comprising Chief Justice H L Dattu and Justices M Y Eqbal and Arun Mishra said.
"For developing a new capital city, there will be some or the other problem. Here it is about acquiring 30,000 hectares of land. All sorts of problems will be there. Can the Supreme Court say that the capital city will be in this part or that part?" the bench observed.
The PIL by Andhra Pradesh residents P Srimannarayana and others had raised several questions and their advocate Prashant Bhushan contended that how can the super city be developed without environment impact assessment when it involved 7000 sq km of area.
"It is very diificult for us (to pass direction)," the bench said, following which Bhushan sought to withdraw the petition with the liberty to approach the National Green Tribunal.
Allowing withdrawal of the PIL, the bench said the petitioners are at liberty to approach an appropriate forum.
The new capital city of Andhra Pradesh is proposed in Guntur district, north of Guntur city, and will be developed under Capital Region Development Authority.
In accordance with the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, Hyderabad will remain the capital of both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana for 10 years.
