Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, May 30: With the Green Bench of the Supreme Court lifting the stay it had granted earlier against converting the national highway between Kundapur to Goa border into four lane one, the work of road expansion began in full fury on Friday May 29. The work includes cutting down of roadside trees including several trees pertaining to forest department.
Anout 23,500 trees were to be felled within the jurisdiction of forest divisions of Karwar, Honnavar and Kundapur for widening the national highway for a distance of 187.24 km. Two petitioners, Kamalaksha Prabhu from Byndoor, and Raghavendra Laxman Shanbhag from Honnavar, had approached the southern zone green bench of the Supreme Court at Chennai and secured stay order against continuance of road expansion work.
Considering that National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had already secured clearance from the environment ministry, obtained permission granted by the above three forest divisions for felling of trees, and that a scheme of growing alternative forest has already been agreed upon, the bench vacated the stay granted by it earlier. NHAI also had argued that widening of national highway was pertinent to reduce vehicular density and lessen accident, and also as it is in national interest.
NHAI had succeeded in getting the stay order cleared after a legal battle extending two months. After the original order reached the authorityon Thursday, the contractor firm was asked to resume work from Friday.
NHAI has already remitted Rs 21.3 crore to forest department towards growing alternative forests in Tumakuru, raising of mangroves, and towards cost of trees being felled. As per the agreement, after the four-lane highway is laid, land acquisition process should be completed, and 90,000 trees need to be planted on either sides of the highway.
IRB Infrastructure, Mumbai, which has bagged the contract for widening the road between Kundapur and Goa border at a cost of Rs 1,655 crore, had begun work in March last year. Already it had finished a part of the road. The works are expected to gain momentum after the rainy season comes to an end.