SC norms on road works flouted
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14/03/2009
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Deccan Herald (Bangalore)
Subhash Chandra N S, Bangalore, DH News Service:
Even as the Supreme Court has referred construction of a road through Pushpagiri sanctuary in Kodagu to Central Empowered Committee, another case of violation of the Apex Court guidelines has come to light.
The State has now taken up widening of the Mysore-Mananthavadi road without forming a monitoring committee to oversee it as required by the Apex court directives.
Work on upgradation of State Highway 17-D (Mysore- Mananthavadi stretch) at a cost of Rs 13.14 crore has begun on March 12, 2009.
The Supreme Court, in its order dated November 19 2008, had allowed the repair and maintenance of this road that passes through the ecologically sensitive stretch within Nagarahole National Park with a condition that the repair works should be taken up based on recommendations laid down by the Central Empowered Committee.
However, the Karnataka State Highways Improvement Project (KSHIP), in apparent violation of the Court