
SC allows widening of road near Kanha tiger reserve
In a break from recent instances of environmental activism by the judiciary, the Supreme Court has refused to restrain the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) from widening a road that links the Pench and Kanha tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh.
The 10-km stretch on NH7, which the NHAI plans to expand, is home to India’s dwindling tiger population. Aptly identified as tiger corridor, it was the setting for Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book.
“Not only trees and tigers but human lives are also important… The finding is that the road is in pathetic condition. Life and liberty of a human being is also precious," a bench headed by Chief Justice of India HL Dattu said, upholding a Bombay high court order that permitted the NHAI to widen the road without a forest clearance by the Centre.
In upholding the HC order, the apex court has gone against the recommendations of a committee appointed by it. In a report in 2009, the SC-appointed centrally empowered committee had said that construction on the road would cause “irreparable damage to a critical wildlife habitat”. It had noted that the expansion could lead to heavy vehicular traffic on the stretch endangering the wildlife.
The Bombay HC, in February this year, junked the report and allowed the road to be widened after noting a spate of fatal accidents on the stretch. It also allowed for construction of minor bridges on the road for movement of wildlife. Shrushti Paryavaran Mandal, an NGO, had appealed against the order in the Supreme Court.
The top court order comes close on the heels of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks that the judiciary must take tough calls as per the law that may be met with opposition from "five-star activists". “We will have to think whether these days five-star activist(s) are driving the whole judiciary? Whether an effort is on to drive the judiciary through scaremongering,” he had said at a conference of chief justices and chief ministers on April 5.
According to the NGO, widening the road would affect more than 49 hectares of forest land and would lead to felling of a large number of trees. Its counsel Sanjay Parekh told the Supreme Court that his client was not against development but wanted procedures and safeguards to be followed before the NHAI is allowed to tinker with forest land.
The SC bench reminded him that the Bombay high court had ordered the NHAI to pay Rs 4.97 crore for compulsory afforestation. "The road has been in existence for 100 years. It's being widened and the NHAI has been asked to pay. We see no reason to interfere with the HC order," the court said dismissing the NGO’s appeal.
It, however, allowed the petitioner to move the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

Stage set for mega tractor rally; Parliament march on Feb 1
- The police say about 30,000 tractors are likely to participate in the rally, but farm leaders said the number of vehicles will be closer to 200,000.

Republic Day 2021: List of police personnel who received gallantry medals
- The break-up of 946 police personnel who have been awarded medals on the occasion of the Republic Day, 2021.

'Change lifestyle to adapt to climate change': PM Modi
- "We have promised ourselves that we will not just meet our Paris Agreement targets but exceed them...” PM Modi said.

Willing to resign, Nagaland Lokayukta tells SC, seeks protection from state
- The Nagaland government had come to the Supreme Court in exceptional circumstances for orders to restrain the sitting Lokayukta from hearing any case or exercising his powers or functions under the Nagaland Lokayukta Act, 2017.

He deserved top medal: Col Santosh Babu's kin disappointed with Maha Vir Chakra
- His mother said she was not at all happy to receive the news that her son was conferred Maha Vir Chakra. “I expected the top medal, not this,” she said.

Republic Day 2021: Govt announces gallantry award winners. Full list here

'India foiled expansionist move in Ladakh': President's veiled dig at China

President Kovind says Indian armed forces 'adequately mobilised'

Attending Republic Day ceremony in Delhi compulsory, Govt tells officers
- In a letter sent to all government ministries and departments Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba warned "that serious view would be taken" against those who fail to attend the ceremony despite invitations

Odisha meets over 92% of Covid-19 vaccination target, leads among all states
- Of the 1.92 lakh beneficiaries that were to be vaccinated till January 25, the state has covered 1.77 lakh.

Republic Day 2021: Tarun Gogoi, Ram Vilas Paswan among 10 Padma Bhushan awardees

Senior officers must attend R-Day event at Rajpath or face action: Govt

Full text: President Ram Nath Kovind’s speech on eve of 72nd Republic Day

Rahul Gandhi wraps up Tamil Nadu campaign; attacks AIADMK, BJP
- “The chief minister is corrupt so he’s being controlled by the prime minister,” said Gandhi during his roadshow in Karur district.
