Mangaluru: In a set back to the legal battle against Yettinahole project being implemented in Karnataka state, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in New Delhi on Monday has reserved its order on the issue for tomorrow and criticized the petitioners. The petitioners have objected the project citing, the environment will be damaged significantly during the implementation of the project.

On Monday, the NGT chairperson justice Justice Swatanter Kumar headed bench has transferred the case to its southern zonal bench located in Chennai for further hearing. An order from New Delhi NGT will be passed on the issue on February 07.

The NGT has said criticizing the petitioner that, “it is not necessary to consider the environmental damage to implement a drinking water project to drought hit areas of the state.”

NGT has also stated that the petitioner can approach the supreme court in the matter as NGT has no role in the issue. “The union government has already given its clearance to the project with some regulations,” informed an advocate representing Karnataka irrigation department to NGT.