The Meghalaya High Court has permitted the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) to proceed with constructing the first package of the Shillong-Dawki national highway. However, the court stalled tree felling along the 11.6-kilometre stretch from Rilbong to Mylliem Marbaniang.
Kaustav Paul filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) to protect the environment and preserve precious trees along the highway. The proposed highway, divided into five packages, sparked concerns about large-scale tree felling and environmental degradation.
The court directed NHIDCL and the contractor to:
– Proceed with construction, excluding tree felling, for the time being.
– Submit a joint report with the state government by November 29, 2024, detailing proposed afforestation measures.
– Furnish a copy of the report to the petitioner, Kaustav Paul.
– Appear before the court on December 3, 2024, for approval of the afforestation proposal and further directions .
The state has completed land acquisition and handed over the land to NHIDCL.
A new contractor replaced the original one on September 25, 2023, with a two-year timeline to complete the work.
Approximately 16.5% of the work and 14.3% of the financial allocation have been utilized.
The petitioner emphasized the need for afforestation to maintain ecological balance and environmental beauty.
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