HC quashes PILs on Shivalik elephant reserve denotification & NH widening through Rajaji

Thursday, 10 March 2022 | PNS | Nainital

The Uttarakhand high court has quashed two public interest litigations regarding the widening of the Delhi-Dehradun national highway and denotification of the Shivalik elephant reserve. Hearing the matter on Wednesday, the division bench of acting chief justice Sanjaya Kumar Mishra and justice RC Khulbe quashed both the PILs. During the hearing on Wednesday, the government counsel stated that most of the work on the NH has been completed except a three-kilometre stretch under Rajaji national park, considering which the PILs should be disposed soon. The government also stated that completion of the highway work will enable covering the distance between Delhi and Dehradun in about two hours, adding that delay in its completion had affected various important government works. The government also stated that the points on which the PILs are based have already been decided earlier by the Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal, considering which the PILs should be quashed.

Amit Kholia and Reenu Paul had filed separate PILs stating that in November 2020, the State wildlife board had decided to denotify the Shivalik elephant reserve to facilitate expansion of Dehradun airport and boost development works. While one PIL had challenged the denotification of Shivalik elephant reserve, the other had contended that widening of the Delhi-Dehradun national highway would affect nine hectare eco-sensitive area of the Rajaji national park.