In a big jolt to the Chhattisgarh Government on the Mahanadi water sharing issue, the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday asked it to withdraw its writ petition which was filed challenging the stay order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) over 31 projects of the Government on the river.
A Bench comprising acting Chief Justice Nishita Mhatre and Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty directed Chhattisgarh to withdraw the petition, failing which the Bench would pass order of non-maintainability. The court adjourned hearing on the matter till November 2 on a specific request of Chhattisgarh.
The Bench held that appeal against any order of the NGT is not maintainable before the High Court under Section 22 of the NGT Act, 2010.
It might be mentioned that NGT’s Kolkata Bench on July 26 had stayed as many as 31 projects of Chhattisgarh on the Mahanadi including six Grade-A projects.
Challenging the stay order, the Chhattisgarh Government had moved the Calcutta High Court.
