Supreme Court upholds environmental nod for Kerala's Kozhikode-Wayanad tunnel project
The Supreme Court refused to interfere with the environmental clearance for a twin-tube tunnel corridor project connecting Kozhikode and Wayanad districts in Kerala. The project, deemed of "national importance" by the Court, aims to alleviate congestion in the land-starved state. A petitioner-NGO challenged the Kerala High Court's decision, arguing the project was in an ecologically fragile, landslide-prone Western Ghats zone and required Category 'A' environmental clearance at the Central level. The SC noted that the Central Expert Appraisal Committee (CEAC) had approved the project with safety and structural conditions, and petitioners could approach the National Green Tribunal (NGT) if conditions were violated.
Key Points
- The Supreme Court declined to intervene in the environmental clearance for the Kozhikode-Wayanad tunnel project in Kerala.
- The project is a twin-tube tunnel corridor intended to connect Kozhikode and Wayanad districts, aiming to ease congestion.
- The Supreme Court considered the project to be of "national importance" for the land-starved state.
- Environmental concerns were raised by an NGO, citing the project's location in an ecologically fragile, landslide-prone Western Ghats zone.
- The Central Expert Appraisal Committee (CEAC) had approved the project with specific safety and structural conditions.
Exam Facts
- Project: Kozhikode-Wayanad twin-tube tunnel corridor in Kerala.
- Location: Ecologically fragile Western Ghats zone, landslide-prone area.
- Approving body: Central Expert Appraisal Committee (CEAC).
- Judicial bodies involved: Supreme Court, Kerala High Court, National Green Tribunal (NGT).
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