Procurement News Notice |
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| PNN | 5115 |
| Work Detail | Vacating its interim injunction, the National Green Tribunal Southern Bench has allowed the widening of 35 km stretch of road adjoining Megamalai wildlife sanctuary “within the boundaries of existing right of way.” However, the Bench comprising Justice P. Jyothimani and P.S. Rao considered it prudent to issue 13 directions to Theni district administration as a precaution to ensure that the road work did not cause damage to the flora and fauna which were rich in diversity. Relying upon an NGT western zone order and an Apex Court order in Essar Oil vs Halar Utkarsh Samiti cases, the Bench concluded that the prayer to restrain road widening of a 35-km stretch from Thenpalani to Highways was not sustainable as it did not involve any notified forest, wildlife sanctuary and as no illegal cutting of trees was involved. The co-operation and involvement of local communities in management of natural resources cannot be ignored and if basic minimum needs of communities are not met and their quality of life not improved, they may even turn against the preservation and protection of biodiversity. “This will go against the very basic concept of protection of biodiversity, particularly in ecologically sensitive areas like western ghats,” the Bench noted in its order. In this case, no new road was being permitted to be laid; no forest land was involved and no felling of forest trees was permitted and no civil structures other than structures for strengthening the road were allowed to be constructed, the Bench pointed out. As per the records produced before the Bench, only carriageway was being widened from 3.5 to 5.5 metre width within the existing right of way besides strengthening the culverts, bridges and protective walls in the interest of smooth flow of traffic and safety of passengers, it said. No doubt such linear projects, particularly the stretches of the road passing through Wildlife Sanctuaries and Ecologically Sensitive Areas to some extent, cause negative impact on the protection of biodiversity, the Bench said. But one has to take a holistic approach and basic minimum needs of local inhabitants cannot be sacrificed, it concluded. |
| Country | India , Southern Asia |
| Industry | Construction |
| Entry Date | 15 Oct 2016 |
| Source | http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/ngt-clears-road-widening-in-megamalai-with-13-riders/article9073792.ece |
