Green tribunal fines NHAI, BRO Rs 25,000 each

September 11, 2013

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Neha Sethi

NHAI and BRO will have to deposit the cost with the legal bar office

(“We must notice that in the affidavit filed by NHAI, it is claimed that ‘there is no section of National Highway entrusted to NHAI for construction in Uttarakhand where there are chances of land sliding’. This statement is factually incorrect and is a matter of public knowledge,” the tribunal noted in its order. Photo: AP)

New Delhi: The national green tribunal on Monday imposed costs of Rs25,000 each on the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in a matter related to the recent Uttarakhand floods.The bench headed by chairperson Swatanter Kumar said a statement in an affidavit submitted by NHAI was factually incorrect.

“We must notice that in the affidavit filed by NHAI, it is claimed that ‘there is no section of National Highway entrusted to NHAI for construction in Uttarakhand where there are chances of land sliding’. This statement is factually incorrect and is a matter of public knowledge,” the tribunal noted in its order.

NHAI and BRO will have to deposit the cost with the legal bar office.

In its previous hearing on 26 August, the green court had pulled up BRO and NHAI for not conducting a study before widening highways in the Himalayan state.

The Supreme Court had on 13 August directed the environment ministry not to grant forest or environment clearance for hydroelectric projects in Uttarakhand till a panel submits a report on the impact of such projects on the biodiversity of the region.

The committee has not been constituted yet.

“It is further surprising that even in terms of the Orders of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India dated 13th August, 2013, the Committee has not been declared as being constituted so far,” the green court said on Monday.

The tribunal directed the secretary at the environment ministry to ensure that the committee is constituted within one week because no orders of the tribunal can proceed without the committee being in place.

Source-http://www.livemint.com/