Kozhikode: The Nilgiri-Wayanad NH and Railway Action Council demanded the state government to intervene seriously to resolve the night traffic ban in the Kozhikode- Kollegal National Highway (NH 766), the case related to which is pending at Supreme Court. The expert committee chairman appointed by the Supreme Court had already submitted at the SC.
Though the Supreme Court (SC) had directed the Kerala and Karnataka states to submit their opinion on the report of the expert committee within four weeks, the state government is yet to submit a report. The direction has been given considering a plea submitted by the action council, seeking interim judicial relief for the people living on both sides of the sanctuary in three states.
The report suggested construction of five flyovers of 1 kilometer length each, four in Karnataka and one in Kerala side of forest, allowing wildlife to cross under. On the remaining stretches the entry of wildlife to the road should be prevented with strong fences with eight feet height, the report said. The report also suggested building up a bio-fence on both sides of the road to reduce pollution and also to prevent penetration of light and sound into the wild.
The expert committee also prepared an estimate by which an amount of Rs 458 crores has to be spent for executing the project. The secretary to union ministry for surface transport and highways informed the SC that the union government is ready bear half of the cost (Rs 229 crore) and the rest the state government should chip in, as per the report. The action council alleged that the laxity of the state government in submitting its opinion over the issue resulted in delaying the legal procedures.
The failure of the state government will help only the vested interest groups that try to promote other routes and try to torpedo any development to the Kozhikode-Mysore route, the action council pointed out. The action council has decided to conduct a sit-in in front of the Sulthan Bathery municipal office on Saturday, the release said.
It is to be recalled that Manoj Kumar Meena, Chamaraj Nagar district collector in Karnataka had passed the ban orders on ‘night traffic’ through NH 766 and NH 67 on June 3, 2009.
