Will take appropriate action over issues arising from ONGC, GAIL ops in Godavari river: Minister

Amaravati, Sep 26 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh Roads and Buildings Minister BC Janardhan Reddy on Friday assured that the state government would take appropriate action on issues such as pollution and others in the riparian regions of the Godavari river due to ONGC and GAIL operations.

Addressing the Assembly, the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Minister said the government will take ground-level reports from officials for appropriate action.

“We will take appropriate action after procuring ground level reports from officials,” said Reddy, reacting to pollution and other issues from the two public sector oil and gas giants raised by MLAs G Satyanarayana and Deva Vara Prasad in the House.

Satyanarayana and Deva Vara Prasad said the riparian regions of the Godavari river are facing severe difficulties due to ONGC and GAIL operations, such as the shrinking of ground and obstruction to dirty water runoff into the sea.

They highlighted that sewage water is overflowing due to these issues.

Further, Reddy said the government will also procure reports on the two companies allegedly failing to spend corporate social responsibility funds locally.

If these allegations are found to be true, the R&B Minister promised action against the two companies.

Replying to another question on ONGC and GAIL reserving jobs for locals in P Gannavaram constituency, Reddy said the state government has no such proposal as the two Central Government companies undertake recruitment at the national level. PTI STH ROH