The Uttarakhand High Court has raised a crucial environmental question: can an elevated road be built instead of cutting down more than 4,000 trees for widening a key highway connecting Rishikesh and Bhaniyawala in Dehradun? The court's intervention came during a hearing on a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the proposed mass felling of trees.
Court Directs Authorities to Explore Alternatives
A division bench comprising Chief Justice G Narendar and Justice Subhash Upadhyay heard the petition filed by Dehradun-based environmentalist Reenu Paul. The bench, on Friday, directed the Centre, the Uttarakhand state government, and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to hold a meeting and submit suggestions to resolve the issue. The court has set the next hearing for December 31.
The PIL challenges the plan to widen the under-construction road from four lanes to six lanes, a project that requires the axing of over 4,000 marked trees. The petitioner highlighted a critical ecological concern: the 20km stretch between Bhaniyawala and Rishikesh on NH-7 runs through a vital elephant corridor. The widening project, therefore, poses a significant threat to wildlife movement and habitat.
Widening Project Faces Stiff Opposition
The government's stated aim for the project is to ease the heavy traffic on this crucial link that connects Dehradun, the Jolly Grant airport, and Rishikesh. The work, which includes adding paved shoulders, is being executed under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM).
However, the plan has met with strong resistance from environmentalists and experts. Former Uttarakhand principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) Jai Raj and Doon resident Ashish Garg have also filed an intervention application opposing the tree felling, bolstering the petitioner's case.
Past Failures in Transplantation Cited
During the hearing, Reenu Paul brought to the court's notice that previous directives regarding tree transplantation in other projects were not followed properly. She also alleged that underpasses for wildlife were not being constructed according to prescribed norms.
The court then sought an explanation from PWD secretary Pankaj Kumar Pandey, who appeared virtually, regarding the failures in the transplantation process. This scrutiny of past compliance adds a layer of accountability to the current proposal.
The High Court's suggestion for an elevated road presents a potential middle path, aiming to balance infrastructure development with urgent environmental conservation. The directive for authorities to convene and propose solutions sets the stage for a crucial decision before the year's end.
