Salem-Chennai road project does not need environmental clearance, says Environment Ministry in SC

The Union Environment Ministry told the Supreme Court on Thursday that not only for Chennai – Salem eight-lane project but other projects as well do not require environment clearance, prior to land acquisition. Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), the petitioner in the case had condemned the ministry's stance on the matter.

New Delhi: A day after the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) argued before the Supreme Court that Chennai – Salem eight-lane road project did not require any mandatory environmental clearance (EC) prior to land acquisition, the Union Environment Ministry echoed similar views in an affidavit filed in the top court on Thursday.

In Tamil Nadu, NHAI has planned to implement an eight-lane expressway Greenfield corridor between Chennai and Salem for 274 km at a cost of Rs.10,000 crore.

As the government wanted fertile agricultural lands in Kancheepuram, Thiruvannamalai, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, and Salem districts, farmers, opposition parties have been protesting the project. When a group of petitions were filed before the Madras High Court, the land acquisition for the project was scrapped by the court in 2019.

Therefore, the NHAI moved to SC challenging high court's order, which held that prior environmental clearance was mandatory for the sensitive project. While the case was recently taken up for hearing, the NHAI contended that environmental clearance is not essential for implementing this project.

Regarding the arguments of the NHAI, Union Environment Ministry had filed an affidavit in the apex court saying that not only for Chennai – Salem eight-lane project but other projects as well do not require environment clearance. The move has come as a shocker for farmers and politicians.

Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder S. Ramadoss, the petitioner in the case had condemned the ministry's stance on the matter in the Supreme Court.

“The Ministry which had not taken any stance before the MHC had argued before the SC that EC does not require for this project. It amounts to the blatant support for the project and it is against the very purpose why the MoEFCC was created. The ministry should get back its affidavit as it would destruct the lives of thousands of farmers,” Ramadoss said.

The court, however, decided to hear the case on August 6.