Madras HC moved for impact study on highway project

A division bench comprising KK Sasidharan and R Subramanian before whom the plea moved by advocate A P Suryaprakasam came up, said, “Since identical issues are raised by the petitioner in this Writ Petition, we are of the view that this should also be posted along with the other petition challenging the same green corridor project and the intra court appeals filed by the State in another petition moved in 2014.”

Issuing notice to the Union and the State returnable by 12 July 2018, the bench directed the Registry to place the matter before the Chief Justice for passing appropriate orders to post the Writ Petitions and the intra court appeals. The petitioner had contended that several trees would be cut and removed, and water bodies would be filled up for laying the Chennai-Salem Greenfield Highway. Hence, before undertaking such a massive project, the Government ought to have assessed the ecological and environmental affect. Moreover, there was no discussion with all the stakeholders before taking a policy decision, Suryaprakasam submitted.

Also, offering certain facts and figures, he alleged that the proposed road would cause considerable damage to the ecology and water bodies along several districts like Kancheepuram, Tiruvannamalai, Tiruvallur and Salem. The intra court appeals pertain to the NHAI filing Writ Petitions seeking to quash the order passed by the Secretary to Government, Public Works Department, rejecting the request to issue no objection certificate for laying construction touching Kandakathan Tank, Kovilur-Konery Tank, Sankarapuram Tank and Senjainattar Tank, Kulathur Periyakulam, Keeranur Periyakulam, Thirumayam Thamarai Kanmoi, Thirumayam Vengai Kanmoi, Kundaru river and Vllaru River.

The proposed acquisition was to improve the Trichy-Pudukottai-Karaikudi Section of NH-210 to 4/6 by widening. The proposed alignment of the Keeranur bypass would pass through the Kulathur Tank and it also requires a bridge across the Gundar River. While a single judge had allowed the petitions filed by NHAI and directed the Government to offer no objection certificate, the TN Government had gone on appeal contending that the State is obliged to preserve the tanks and water bodies to prevent ecological imbalances. 

It further contended that it would not be possible to permit the construction of a highway as it would obstruct the inflow and outflow of water supply in the supply channel.