Overview
- On Monday, Aug. 3, Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy directed officials to pursue environmental clearances for the Palamuru‑Rangareddy, Sitarama Sagar, Dindi and Gouravelli projects under a strict, time‑bound plan.
- The government set staged internal deadlines that require nodal officers and records to be in place within seven days, updated studies and legal documents within 30 days, and key administrative processing within 60 days with a six‑month target for project ECs where law permits.
- Operational preparedness measures have begun, including pump‑house inspections and repairs at Gouravelli and fresh environmental and engineering studies for Sitarama Sagar so works can resume promptly after approvals.
- Officials were ordered to strengthen the department’s Inter‑State wing, add technical and legal expertise, rectify technical and procedural deficiencies, and resubmit earlier rejected proposals where legally permissible while engaging the MoEFCC, NGT and courts.
- The drive follows the July 29 Supreme Court ruling that struck down the 2021 retrospective‑clearance memo and clarified how pending and rejected EC cases should be handled, but final progress will depend on statutory clearances, forest and inter‑state issues, and central sign‑offs that affect funding and farmer compensation.