Supreme Court on November 27 will hear the plea seeking permission to construct a parking project near the controversial Mullaperiyar dam.
The plea filed by Tamil Nadu Government challenging NGT order which allowed a car parking project in Kumili, located near the dam in Kerala.
In Novemeber 2017, the National Green Tribunal had allowed Kerala to go ahead with various construction projects in the Periyar Tiger Reserve abutting Mullaperiyar dam reservoir area.
Tamil Nadu was opposing the projects claiming that the project site actually falls under the water spread area of the dam which is owned and operated by it.
The tribunal said it would not go into the issue of ownership of the land on which the constructions are planned. The main reasoning cited by the tribunal was that National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has given clearance to the tourism projects.
The bench, comprising, Justice MS Nambiar and expert member PS Rao, had contended that the comprehensive guidelines issued by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) which are scrutinised and approved by the Supreme Court, and the fact that the tourism activities listed in Chapter 23 of the Tiger Conservation Plan has been approved by the competent authority.
(with inputs from agencies)