The Jharkhand High Court has been monitoring the problems surrounding the environment of the widening of the Ranchi- Patna National Highway and ordered the state government to provide an in-depth animal protection plan in two weeks. The case intrusion demonstrates the greater emphasis put on the necessity to balance the aspect of the development of infrastructure and environmental protection.
The Patna National Highway or the Ranchi-Patna National Highway is an important road linking the Jharkhand and Bihar capitals. The highway widening project will contribute to decreased travel time, enhanced safety on the road, and increased regional trade and connectivity. Nevertheless, some of the route line is in ecologically sensitive areas with concerns over the effects of the construction activity on the local wildlife and natural habitats.
In the hearing, the High Court stressed that the development projects should include protection of the animals and biodiversity. The court wanted to know what is being done by the authorities to avoid the killing of animals and cause minimal disturbance to the movement of wildlife. It urged the government and project officials to provide a detailed plan on mitigation measures during and after the construction.
Some of the steps that can be anticipated in the proposed animal plan include installation of wildlife crossings, underpasses, fencing, warning signage, and monitoring mechanisms to minimize cases of animals and vehicles. There has been a consistent emphasis by environmental specialists that uncontrolled highway development may cause a division of wildlife habitats, a rise in road killings and disruption of natural animal migration paths.
The judicial decision is reflective of a general trend in judicial evolution in India, in which the construction of the infrastructure projects is subject to the scrutiny of the highest courts, to be observed with a view to ensuring the observance of the environmental standards. The imposition of sustainable development models by the courts in the country has been on the increase, making sure that forests, wildlife, and the local ecosystems are not damaged when the required public projects are going on.
The government officials related to the highway project are determined to abide by the legal and environmental standards. The state government will be required to make coordination with the forest and wildlife departments to come up with the necessary report within the set time.
The result of the future submission might affect the speed and plan of the highway expansion. Other protective measures might be employed to carry out the project in case the court feels that the measures proposed would be sufficient. Poor planning may, nevertheless, lead to more directives or monitoring.
The project has attracted both environmental agencies and the local people, who are very pleased with the development, as it is a move towards proper planning of infrastructure. As Jharkhand continues to build its road system, the role of the High Court is to expose the fact that the environmental issue must be included in development policies.
The next step will be hearing, followed by the presentation of the animal protection plan by the government, which will determine the future of the project.
