In further hiccups for the political debut of Chiranjeevi, a Tirupati-based NGO moved the Supreme Court on Wednesday opposing the holding of a public meeting at Avilala Tank in the temple town by him on August 26. The matter is likely to be taken up for hearing on Thursday.

Intellectual Forum, the NGO, moved a petition citing contempt of a directive given by the apex court in 2006 to the state to protect its water bodies. It contended that the public meeting should be prohibited as Avilala Tank is a water tank that enjoys protection under the Environment Act.

The forum has been fighting for the protection of water bodies for over the last two decades. It contends that Rayalaseema is the driest region in the state and therefore, there is a dire need to protect water bodies like the Avilala Tank, which, it said, was built by Krishnadevaraya in the 16th century.

The forum moved the AP High Court in 1994 urging it to give directive for the restoration of the ancient water body and not allow any activities on it in the future. The HC dismissed its petition. Following that, it moved an SLP in the SC in 2001. The SC gave a verdict on Feb 23, 2006 directing AP to protect the tank.

Avilala Tank was the venue for the Congress plenary in 1992. The tank bed was filled up on a war footing and it was this development that prompted the forum to seek a legal remedy. Now, two weeks ago, after Chiranjeevi’s men sought and obtained permission to hold their public meeting on the tank on Aug 26, the forum had first urged the district administration not to accord permission for the meeting.

It moved the SC on Wednesday. "Since the matter is in the apex court, it would not be proper for us to comment on the case. But we feel sorry that not a single recommendation of the SC directive has been implemented till today," forum president K Srinivasa Reddy told TOI .