The Uttarakhand High Court has recently directed the state government to categorically state if the houses of villagers will jeopardized due to construction of roads in District Chamoli.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice Alok Kumar Verma was hearing a PIL on this matter. On Thursday last, while considering the report submitted along with the affidavit of Sudhir Kumar, SDM, Tharali, District Chamoli, the Court noted that two options were available with the government either raise the height by two to three metres, or re-align the road at another point. The report does not clearly indicate which of the two options is being implemented by the respondents.
“Therefore, the respondents are directed to make a categorical statement as to which of the two options will be implemented by them. List this case on October 6, 2021,” the order reads.
The PIL raised the issue that due to the construction of roads, villagers homes would be jeopardized as the rocks above the houses are unstable. S.S. Yadav, advocate for the petitioner, submitted that if alignment is slightly modified and the road is constructed where the solid rocks are there, then the threat to life and property of villagers would be avoided.
On August 18 , the Division Bench of Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari and Justice Alok Kumar Verma had directed the constitution of a committee headed by an officer not below the rank of Additional District Magistrate. The said committee shall also comprise of Executive Engineer, Public Works Department and an Officer from Geology & Mining Department.
The Committee shall get the spot inspected and shall examine as to whether the apprehension expressed in this PIL is correct or is there any scope for changing the alignment of the road and taking the road from a place some meters away from where it is proposed, the Court ordered.