Maintaining that the objections raised by union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) over construction of the multi-purpose Polavaram irrigation project on river Godavari were "unfortunate", the Andhra Pradesh government on Wednesday gave a strong reply to the ministry's letter dated November 1.

Taking a serious view of the Andhra Pradesh government's inaction in conducting a public hearing into the construction of Polavaram project and obtaining a fresh environmental clearance, the MoEF had shot off a letter to the state seeking an explanation on the issue.

"There is no failure on part of the AP government in taking suitable action for conducting public hearing and hence, there is no reason for contemplating to issue any show-cause notice under Section-5 of the Environment (Protection) Act," state principal secretary (irrigation) Shailendra Kumar Joshi said in a 42-page reply sent to the union secretary, MoEF.

He urged the MoEF to accord its concurrence for construction of protective embankments along the rivers Sabari and Sileru without insisting on public hearing as there was no change in the scope of the project. Besides, flood protective bunds did not require environmental clearance as per the provisions of EIA Notification, 2006, he added.

Joshi blamed the governments of Orissa and Chhattisgarh for playing truant over the issue and, "for reasons best known to them", objecting to the project and not co-operating in conducting public hearings.

"Orissa and Chhattisgarh are not conducting public hearings in their respective states deliberately on flimsy grounds in spite of constant persuasion from government of Andhra Pradesh and MoEF," he added.

The present project proposal was strictly in accordance with the provisions of interstate agreements concluded among co-basin states and the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT) Award, 1980.

The Award stipulated that the central water commission (CWC), inter-alia, might determine the places and height of the embankments to be constructed in the states of Madhya Pradesh (now Chhattisgarh) and Orissa to avoid submergence over a height of 150-ft due to backwater effect on account of the construction of Polavaram dam and "the state of Andhra Pradesh shall pay and bear the cost of construction and maintenance of all such necessary protective embankments," Joshi said, quoting the Award.

He said the Rs 16,000 crore Polavaram project benefited not only the regions of Andhra Pradesh but also neighbouring states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Orissa and Chhattisgarh.

"The project works are in progress and about Rs 3,303 crore of expenditure has so far been incurred," he added.

Joshi also said that no work has commenced in respect of protective embankments in Orissa and Chhattisgarh states.

"The project works are in progress only in the areas where environmental clearance had already been given in 2005. Hence, there is no violation of any provisions under EIA Notification or Environment (Protection) Act," he asserted.

Urging the MoEF to accord necessary concurrence for constructing the embankments, he sought the ministry to "arrange for public hearings by engaging other agency at the earliest possible opportunity."