CHENNAI: National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed NHAI authorities to change the alignment for the ambitious highway expansion project between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu as the original plan was likely to harm elephant corridor and seven lakes in and around Hosur. The NHAI has proposed to widen NH-844 from Neraluru in Bengaluru to Adhiyamankottai, near Dharmapuri, as an alternative to the ‘congested’ NH-44, which connects Bengaluru and Dharmapuri.
However, the proposal drew flak from environmentalists. S Mathivanan of Hosur petitioned the green tribunal alleging the project violated environmental norms and ate into reserve forests of Sanamavu, an elephant corridor and Gummanuru, besides degrading waterbodies. The tribunal sought a factual report from a committee consisting of Tamil Nadu State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), Chief Wildlife Warden, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) and Regional Office of Union Environment Ministry in Bengaluru.
