<p>Order of the National Green Tribunal (Eastern Zone Bench, Kolkata) in the matter of Nirmal Kumar Singha Vs The State of West Bengal & Others dated 17/08/2023.</p> <p>The Applicant is aggrieved
Overcoming its feet-dragging approach to building foot-over bridges in the New Delhi Municipal Council area ever since the original proposal was approved by the Council in 2005, the civic body has finally accorded approval for construction of grade separators at seven locations in its area. Accepting the recommendations of project consultants Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS), the civic body has decided to construct two foot-over bridges, three subways and two vehicular underpasses.
A Sin hala scholar's remark that Mahendra, son of Emperor Asoka, reached the island nation by land from South India has further substantiated the existence of Ram Sethu, the controversial structure in the Indian Ocean.
Accusing the US of having ill-inten tions of damaging India's rich thorium deposits and Union minister for shipping and roads T.R. Baalu of having personal interest in the Sethusamudram project, VHP supremo Ashok Singhal on Monday said, Ramsethu will be the "burning issue" in the coming general elections. He demanded that Centre should apologise to Hindus for its "humiliating affidavit" portraying Lord Ram as a fiction. Taking a dig at Mr Baalu's recent embroilment in a controversy, the VHP supremo said that Mr Baalu should start reading the "bad omen" that are happening with him.
Continuing his arguments in the Ramar Sethu case, Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy told the Supreme Court on Thursday that the Sethusamudram Shipping Channel Project would not be economically viable and the whole economic calculation was a "fraud.' Justice Raveendran intervened and said, "Even if it is a foolish project in terms of economics, we can't go into it. How much should be spent, in what manner it should be spent are all matters for the government to decide.' Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan said, "Our jurisdiction is very limited in such matters.'
The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Centre to explore the possibility of an alternative alignment or any other route for the Sethusamudram Shipping Channel Project without damaging Ramar Sethu and to consider whether an archaeological study could be conducted to declare Ramar Sethu a national monument. Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, heading a three-judge Bench, asked senior counsel Fali Nariman, appearing for the Centre, to consider an alternative alignment and said that by this the government could avoid the controversy (of damaging Ramar Sethu).
The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Centre to consider conducting an archaeological survey to ascertain whether the Ram Sethu can be declared an ancient monument.
The Sethusamudram Shipping Channel Project should be scrapped altogether if the government cannot proceed further without destroying Ramar Sethu (Adam's Bridge), Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy argued in the Supreme Court on Wednesday.
Delhi PWD Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan said that there is no plan to construct overbridge on the much-criticised Bus Rapid Transit corridor from Ambedkar Nagar to Moolchand. He said that the construction of the flyover near Deer Park could not be related to Bus Rapid Transit as it is at a reasonable distance from it. The Minister said that the Public Works Department (PWD) was constructing three flyovers at Africa Avenue Marg
The Ministry of Power is considering two options including the proposal to construct a bridge over Brahmaputra river connecting Sadiya and Dhola in Assam, as part of the Dibang Multi-purpose Hydroelectric Project. The Ministry of Power has submitted a proposal to the Public Investment Board (PIB) for the Dibang Project in Arunachal Pradesh indicating two alternatives, said Minister DoNER, Mani Shankar Aiyar in a Lok Sabha reply to a question by Dr Arun Kumar Sarma. The first alternative covers external roads and bridges including construction of a bridge over Brahmaputra river.
Environment activists on Monday met Municipal Commissioner Praveensinh Pardeshi to protest against the Pune Municipal Corporation's (PMC) proposal of constructing more flyovers in the city, saying that these flyovers do not help improve the overall traffic situation and therefore urged the civic body to withdraw the proposal.
