Journalism of Courage
The National Green Tribunal on Thursday gave the go ahead to the PMC for the ongoing construction of a 2.35-km road from Vithalwadi to NH-4 bypass,but asked the civic body to adhere to certain conditions,including reducing width of the road from the proposed 30 metres to 24 metres and elevating it in the blue line area.
The bench of Justice Swantanter Kumar and Justice U D Salvi said they are permitting the PMC to complete the project but imposing certain conditions that include building only a 24-metre wide road.
It further said that the PMC should make every effort to realign the road to bring it beyond the blue line defined by the irrigation department.
The PMC should ensure that the least part of the project in the river come in red or blue line zone. The road should be constructed on elevated pillars in the area that falls within the blue line.
The tribunal directed the PMC to remove the debris dumped at the present site.
It also asked the civic body to undertake massive plantations on both sides of the river and in the no-development zone.
The PMC has been asked to take adequate protective measures to prevent flooding and submerging of the residential area along the proposed road.
The tribunal said a large number of structures have come up inside the blue line of the river.
The PMC and irrigation department are being directed to take steps against unauthorised constructions inside the blue line area.
The tribunal directed the authorities to ensure that no encroachment and no constructions are permitted inside the blue line of Mutha river.
The conditions are necessary in the interest of environment and ecology. It is better to take precautions at this stage,even at the cost of additional expenses rather than to face floods,disaster,loss of life and property and irreversible damage to ecology and environment, the bench maintained.
It further added,It is expected that the PMC and state irrigation department anticipate and prevent the causes of environmental degradation. Furthermore,no public interest would suffer by imposition of the conditions and if the conditions imposed are found to be onerous by the State and PMC,then they can even give up the project on river Mutha as an alternative road on the other side of the river has already been constructed to provide connectivity.
In the event of the department deciding to give up the road project,it shall be incumbent on it to remove all debris from within the blue line used to create the road segment,the tribunal clarified further stating that it was stated to be a 100 ft wide road on the left bank of the river Mutha giving connectivity with the same bypass which means PMC has options and alternatives available while ensuring that both public interest and the environment do not suffer.
The petitioner had prayed for stopping the ongoing work citing environmental damage and sought removal of debris and soil dumped in the river. They had said that the PMC and irrigation department had violated various laws and rules related to environmental protection.
