Highway construction under Uttarakhand HC scrutiny

A division bench, comprising Chief Justice R S Chauhan and Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari, has asked the state government about its compensatory afforestation plans in lieu of the large-scale cutting of trees that the building of the stretch entails.

Nainital: The Uttarakhand High Court has asked the state government whether due permissions had been obtained for the construction of a highway, part of which passes through a national park.

A division bench, comprising Chief Justice R S Chauhan and Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari, has asked the state government about its compensatory afforestation plans in lieu of the large-scale cutting of trees that the building of the stretch entails.

The court was hearing a petition on Friday that said the Centre was constructing a 19-km national highway between Dehradun and Ganeshpur in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur district, and three km of the road would pass through the Rajaji National Park.

The PIL, filed by Amit Kholia, a resident of Haldwani, said nine hectares of the eco-sensitive zone was being reduced due to the widening of the road and it may affect the wildlife. Around 2,700 trees, including many that are about 100-150 years old and have been declared a national heritage, will be cut down.

Under such circumstances, the plea said, the central government has to take permission from the state government and it must be granted after an investigation by the Forest Department. The petitioner claimed that due procedures were not followed.

The court has asked the state government to file a detailed reply by March 18.

(PTI)