Sticking to the mantra of ‘Environment First’, SC stays construction of road in Uttarakhand's tiger reserves

Dehradun, June 22: Due to environmental issues, the Supreme Court has stayed the construction of Laldhang Chillarkhal Road passing through the corridor between Rajaji and Corbett Tiger Reserves in Uttarakhand on Friday. A Vacation Bench headed by Justice Deepak Gupta passed the order after perusing a report of the court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC).

 

The construction of roads in the buffer zone of the Rajaji National Park situated between the Shivaliks and foothills of the Himalayas had attracted criticism from environmentalists who feared it would have disastrous consequences for wildlife, particularly tigers.

The apex court has given the time of three weeks to the state government to respond.

The advice of the National Tiger Conservation Agency and the permission of the National Board of Wildlife had not been taken, the CEC report pointed out.

It is apparent that advice of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has not been taken and permission from the standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife has also not been taken'" the court said.