Chennai: The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal on Tuesday constituted a two-member committee consisting of a retired chief justice, Sampath Kumar and an IFS officer, Dr.Sekhare to study the road-widening project on Girivalam path at Tiruvannamalai even while giving nod for expanding the path.
Passing the interim order, the Bench comprising Justice P. Jyothimani and expert member P.S. Rao said the widening of the path is necessary on stretch–1, which is within the town. “Considering the topographical stretch by the Additional Advocate General and the contents, we are of the view that in areas of Tiruvannamalai, widening is necessary without cutting trees.”
Road widening is permissible by avoiding cutting of trees and also by providing a mud passage to public, the tribunal said after hearing arguments by additional advocate general V. Ayyadurai and additional general pleader Manoharan and other counsel.
The tribunal has ordered the state highways department to proceed with the widening works on stretch–5, which has no tree population. Directing the state government to offer support to the committee, the bench has said the road height should not be increased.
The committee, which was ordered to submit reports on October 6, will study various aspects: flora and fauna, water bodies in the region, encroachments, possibility for a separate tar road for emergency vehicles, possibility to stick on to mud roads by avoiding gravel.
Members of the committee will be remunerated with Rs 1 lakh each by the state government. “The parties and the district collector should provide necessary support to the committee,” the bench informed. “During auspicious occasions, the path gets choked with lakhs of pilgrims. In case of an emergency, there is no possibility of vehicular movement for which the need of the hour is a dedicated pathway for the pilgrims, undertaking the giri pradakshana (circumambulation). This will allow smooth flow of pilgrims and a separate path for emergency vehicles,” Sindhu S, counsel for the respondent said.
