Recall Char Dham project judgment: ex-Minister, environmentalists to SC, Pg12

Key Highlights:

• Murli Manohar Joshi, Karan Singh, environmentalists, and scientists appealed to the Supreme Court to review its 2021 judgment on the Char Dham project.
• The appeal contests the permission to widen Himalayan roads beyond 5.5 metres.
• The Char Dham project involves widening roads in the Bhagirathi Eco Sensitive Zone (BESZ) and roads leading to the India-China border.
• Petitioners argue that road widening is causing environmental damage, landslides, and roadblocks.

Detailed Insights:

• The Supreme Court initially directed adherence to the expert committee's recommendation of 5.5-metre road width.
• Subsequent government petitions citing the Doklam stand-off and Defence Ministry assertions led to the approval of 10-metre width for strategic highways.
• The approved highways include Rishikesh to Mana, Rishikesh to Gangotri, and Tanakpur to Pithoragarh, vital for troop deployment along the India-China border.
• Petitioners claim the road widening has resulted in landslides, sinking zones, and destruction of forest cover, disrupting strategic routes during monsoons.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Bhagirathi Eco Sensitive Zone (BESZ): An ecologically fragile area requiring environmental protection.
• Doklam Stand-off: A military border dispute between India and China in 2017.
• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA): Process to evaluate the environmental consequences of a project.