Responding to a PIL filed in the Supreme Court against the widening of roads in the Char Dham project, the central government in its fresh application cited the external threat faced by the nation to support its stance in the matter. The petitioner, NGO Green Doon, wants the apex court to order a halt to the project, due to environmental concerns. Colin Gonsalves, the lawyer representing Green Doon, accused the government of pushing the project under the pretext of national security. Notably, the government had earlier argued that the project was necessary for promoting religious tourism to the area having significance in Hinduism.
According to an Economic Times news report, Attorney General KK Venugopal, representing the government, drew the court’s attention towards the Chinese buildup across the border. He said, “Trucks carrying artilleries, rocket launchers and tanks may have to pass through these roads.”
As per the report, the SC bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud noted, “The court cannot ignore defence requirements… in the light of contemporary developments on the Chinese side.” Justice Chandrachud also said that the bench does not want “troops to be caught in the 1962 situation.”
