In News: The Supreme Court appointed Ravi Chopra Committee has alleged that the Chardham road project has violated court order.
About Ravi Chopra Committee
- A petition was filed with the National Green Tribunal. The Petition said that the project violated the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification, 2006.
- On the other hand, according to MoRTH, the length of the highways are less than 100 km and hence do not require environmental clearance.
- The project has been segregated into 57 parts and each part is less than 100 km. Thus, NGT cleared the project.
- However, the project stopped by the Supreme Court. The apex court also constituted Ravi Chopra Committee to assess the environmental violations if any.
- The top court ruled that a width of 5.5 metre be enforced as it was in conformity with a 2018 recommendation of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) for mountain roads.
- The MoRTH is also the key coordinator of the Chardham project.
- Ravi Chopra is the chairman of the High Powered Committee (HPC).
Chardham Pariyojana
- The project aims to provide connectivity to the four Hindu pilgrimages such as Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 12,000 crores.
- The National Highway and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited, Uttarakhand State Public Works, Border Road Organization.
- The project is being implemented under EPC mode.
- EPC mode is Engineering, Procurement and Construction Mode.
- Under this mode, the cost is completely borne by the Government.
Pilgrimage sites
- Gangotri is dedicated to Goddess Ganga
- Yamunotri to Goddess Yamuna
- Kedarnath is dedicated to Lord Shiva
- Badrinath temple to Lord Vishnu
Source: The Hindu
