Andhra Pradesh high court directs constitution of green panel

HYDERABAD: A two-judge bench of the high court on Tuesday directed the constitution of a state-level committee as required under the Water Trees Land Act.

The bench was hearing a writ plea filed in 1997 by environmentalist K L Vyas, who complained that the authorities were not implementing the provisions of the Act and thereby, not protecting trees and water bodies in the state. It was contended that it is mandatory for the state government to constitute a state-level committee to ensure the implementation of the provisions of the law.

It was brought to the notice of the court by the government that committees at the district level had already been formed.

The bench comprising acting chief justice PC Ghose and justice Vilas Afzalpurkar directed the constitution of the state-level panel also in accordance with the statutory requirement.