KOCHI: The High Court on Tuesday asked the state government whether the survey stones being laid in connection with the SilverLine project would be removed after completing the social impact assessment (SIA) survey or would be left there permanently. The court again asked why the government is installing this type of stones.
“Is it meant to be an in-terrorem (serving or intended to threaten or intimidate) act? Or is it meant to be something else?” Justice Devan Ramachandran made the query while hearing a batch of petitions against the project. The court also asked whether the property marked by the stones could be sold or mortgaged by owners. The court while referring to a recent Supreme Court judgment which ordered a hands-off approach by courts towards development projects said that it gave a pan-India approach to such projects.
The Supreme Court ruling would be applicable to all large-scale projects, including waterways, national highways and bullet trains throughout the country. The view taken by the Supreme Court was absolutely right. Otherwise, there will not be a pan-India approach.