PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Nainital
The Uttarakhand High Court has rejected a contempt petition filed by environmentalists and citizens against the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) project director in the Rishikesh-Bhaniyawala four-laning project case. The petitioners had alleged that the cutting of trees for the four-laning project was a violation of earlier court orders. Hearing the matter on Friday, the single bench of justice Pankaj Purohit clarified that the NHAI was not in contempt of any court order, adding that there is no interim stay or restriction on this project at present.
Earlier on January 9, the HC had disposed of the PIL in this matter stating that the Supreme Court had already decided on the elephant corridor dispute. When a clarification application was filed on March 18, the HC had stated that the period of the interim stay ordered in the past on the axing of trees had not been extended, which meant that there was no legal order to stop work on the project. This project will affect a total of 4,639 trees. The NHAI had informed the court that 754 of the trees would be transplanted instead of being cut while measures including the construction of elephant underpasses would be taken to prevent road accidents involving wildlife and disturbance to the wildlife.
