NGT allows Delhi-Dehradun Expressway

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal Monday allowed the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor Expressway and formed a 12 member committee to ensure no damage is caused to the environment by unscientific muck dumping or obstruction of animal corridor on the Ganeshpur-Dehradun Road (NH- 72A) stretch.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said it finds it difficult to hold that there was no application of mind in appraisal by the Union Environment Ministry for granting Forest Clearance to

the project.

"Once the project is held to be duly appraised, stage II/tree felling clearance are consequential. We may, however, observe that for the sake of transparency, stage II clearance/tree cutting permission must be prompt after stage I and it must be uploaded on the website forthwith.

"Even while upholding FC clearance, we find it necessary that mitigation measures are effectively implemented and monitored on the ground by the NHAI and the same are overseen by an independent mechanism," said the bench also comprising Justice Sudhir Agarwal and expert member Dr Nagin Nanda.

The green panel appointed an independent twelve-member expert committee to be headed by Chief Secretary, Uttarakhand with nominees of Wildlife Institute of India, Central Pollution Control Board, Uttarakhand State PCB and others.

"The Committee may meet within two weeks to take stock of the situation and plan further course of action. The Committee may thereafter meet atleast once in a month or at such earlier intervals as found necessary. Except for physical inspection, the Committee is free to hold virtual/hybrid meetings.