The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered probe into alleged illegal expansion of a farmhouse by Telangana Minister K.T. Rama Rao.
A Bench of Justice K. Ramakrishnan ordered the probe after hearing a petition filed by Congress lawmaker Anumula Revanth Reddy alleging that Rao expanded the farmhouse by "violating the environmental laws."
The bench has asked the Minister, the Telangana government, the state pollution control board and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation to reply to its notice by August 26.
It also formed a committee, comprising a senior officer from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, the Chennai District Collector, the Pollution Control Board, Commissioner and others.
The committee has been asked to inspect the area and submit a factual and action-taken report if there is any violation in two months.
In the petition, Anumula Revanth Reddy alleged illegal construction in the bio-conservations zone in the catchment area of Osman Sagar Lake. Reddy also alleged that the Minister's act was likely to affect the water storage capacity of Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar Lakes.
K.T. Rama Rao, working president of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), is son of Telangana Chief Minister Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao.
( With inputs from IANS )