Determined to shift the Darbar by June, the State government is going ahead with its plans to construct a temporary capital, despite the fact that cases are pending in the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The government has even floated tenders. The State government claims that it has got all the environmental clearance. But former IAS officer E.A.S. Sarma challenged the environmental clearance (EC) issued by the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) in the NGT. The case will come up for hearing in the first week of February. As a case is pending in the NGT, the Capital Region Development Authority is likely to wait until the cases are brought to a logical conclusion. The CRDA authorities are already facing a contempt case. Says Sravan Kumar, counsel for NGT petitioner Pandalaneni Srimannnarayana: “The SEIAA is not competent to issue the EC as township alone is not involved it. Eco-sensitive zones, industry, flood-prone areas, etc., are also part of the 217 sq km identified for the capital project. The EC is not valid now as the government made many changes to the master plan. If there is any amendment to the plan, the government has to obtain a fresh EC, he argues. Contempt notice The NGT issued a contempt notice to the CRDA for levelling the ground in the capital city area just before the foundation stone laying ceremony in October last. The tribunal ordered that no construction activity, including levelling of the ground, should be taken up without EC. The CRDA claimed that the farmers themselves levelled the ground. The government hasn’t made the environmental impact assessment (EIA) conducted by the Tata. The CRDA is yet to provide a copy of it to Mr. Sarma, who sought a copy under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. “After waiting for one month eight days, the authority said that hard copy would be provided if Rs. 2,000 was paid and CD if Rs. 50 was paid. My contention is that the authority is supposed to provide it free of cost for making me to wait for such long time. Anyhow, I am sending Rs. 50 for the CD,” he said. Terming the government’s move contempt of the NGT, Mr. Srimannarayana said: “The matter will be brought to the notice of the tribunal.” The officials were providing information to the court and the public in a deceitful manner, he claimed.