NGO slams NHAI for ‘blatant violations’ in highway projects before NGT

The Society for Protection of Culture, Heritage, Environment, Traditions and Promotion of National Awareness (SP-CHETNA), an NGO, has filed a strong rejoinder to the National Highways Authority of India’s (NHAI) counter-affidavit before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), accusing the highways body of “blatant violations” in highway expansion projects.

Dismissing NHAI’s compliance claims as “paper-based” and unverifiable, SP-CHETNA alleged absence of prior environmental clearance, invalid approvals, and non-compliance with the Green Highways Policy, 2015, which mandates compensatory tree plantation.