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National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) on Monday moved the Supreme Court seeking its approval to go ahead with construction of a 171 megawatts (MW) power project in Uttarakhand which was stayed along with 23 other hydro projects by it after last year’s natural disaster in the state.

Agreeing to hear the plea of NTPC, a bench of justices Vikramajit Sen and S.K. Singh issued notice to the state government. Solicitor general Ranjit Kumar, appearing for the company, contended that the construction was already going on when the apex court passed the order and its project is not situated in the eco-sensitive zone.

The company also said that apex court’s order passed in August last year has created financial strains as the cost of the project is escalating with passage of time. The apex court had on 13 August last year prohibited setting up of any new hydro-electric power project in the state and directed the centre to constitute an expert body to study environmental degradation caused by such projects.

The court had directed the ministry of environment and forests and the Uttarakhand government not to grant any further environmental or forest clearance for any hydro-electric power project until further orders.

Source-On Request