Bangalore: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday
upheld a ban on movement of transport vehicles in Bandipur
Forest area.
Allowing two PILs, the court quashed the order issued by
Deputy Commissioner, Chamarajnagar by which an earlier
notification relating to ban on transport vehicles in the
Forest Area had been withdrawn.
A division bench, comprising justices V Gopala Gowda and
B S Patil, also disposed of writ petitions filed by ten
transporters and directed the state government to repair and
make fit the alternate road for movement of transport
vehicles during night within six months from today.
The PILs were filed by people keen on protecting wildlife
in Bandipur National Park and Tiger Reserve Area.
According to the transporters, the Deputy Conservator of
Forest by a letter dated January 23, 2009 had requested the
Deputy Commissioner to ban transport in the forest area.
The Commissioner had passed orders on June 3, 2009
prohibiting all kinds of traffic on NH-67 between Gundlpet and
Udhagamandalam (Ooty) in Tamil Nadu. Further it was submitted
that on June 10, 2009, Deputy Commissioner issued another
notification by which the earlier one, banning traffic
between 9 pm to 6 am, was withdrawn.
The court directed the National Highway of India
authorities to take necessary action to ensure that transport
vehicles are not allowed from 9 pm to 6 am.
It directed Government to start in right earnest repair
of roads in places where it was allegedly non-motorable. This
would enable users to use alternate route and hardships caused
to the public could be mitigated.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, March 09, 2010, 20:44