<p>Bengaluru: Amid concerns over violation of rules and material suppression of facts in a proposal to widen a part of the national highway (NH 169A) in the fragile forests of Agumbe Ghat, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has issued in-principle (stage-1) clearance to the project, prompting activists to demand revocation of the <br>same.</p>.<p>Over the last two years, activists from Green Lives Shivamogga Trust have been pointing out several problems in the way the proposal was handled by the forest department, including the permission for tree-felling and widening given in the non-forest section of the road that has led to a fait-accompli situation.</p>.<p>Documents perused by DH show that after multiple representations, the Deputy Inspector General of Forest (Central) on January 29, 2026, wrote to the state government to inquire into the matter and take appropriate action.</p>.<p>However, in a letter dated March 10, the Ministry accorded stage-1 clearance to the project less than two months after ordering the inquiry. Interestingly, the letter states that the user-agency, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), has to obtain environmental clearance.</p>.<p>In a fresh petition to the Ministry, marked to the National Green Tribunal, Green Lives noted that this was in violation of the Supreme Court order. “In WP NO. 202/1995, the Supreme Court has unequivocally held that forest clearance must precede any non-forest activity so as to prevent fait accompli situations,” it said, noting that the department’s tree cutting permissions will also be ex facie illegal due to the lack of prior clearances.</p>.<p>Further, the NGO reiterated that the MoRTH has suppressed the fact a three-km stretch of the road was part of the Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary eco-sensitive zone. “The site inspection report by DCF, Shivamogga division, has deliberately mischaracterised the nature of activity as ‘resurfacing’ instead of ‘widening/strengthening’ with the evident intent of evading regulatory scrutiny,” it said.</p>.<p>It listed several other reasons to demand immediate revocation of the clearance and appropriate action in public interest.</p>.<p>Green Lives secretary Shravan C M said the project will increase human–animal conflict in the coming days within and around the eco-sensitive zone of the sanctuary. “Despite multiple complaints, prima facie, the Forest Department appears to be favouring National Highway development, and this project seems to be the next step towards the proposed Agumbe tunnel,” he added.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: Amid concerns over violation of rules and material suppression of facts in a proposal to widen a part of the national highway (NH 169A) in the fragile forests of Agumbe Ghat, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has issued in-principle (stage-1) clearance to the project, prompting activists to demand revocation of the <br>same.</p>.<p>Over the last two years, activists from Green Lives Shivamogga Trust have been pointing out several problems in the way the proposal was handled by the forest department, including the permission for tree-felling and widening given in the non-forest section of the road that has led to a fait-accompli situation.</p>.<p>Documents perused by DH show that after multiple representations, the Deputy Inspector General of Forest (Central) on January 29, 2026, wrote to the state government to inquire into the matter and take appropriate action.</p>.<p>However, in a letter dated March 10, the Ministry accorded stage-1 clearance to the project less than two months after ordering the inquiry. Interestingly, the letter states that the user-agency, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), has to obtain environmental clearance.</p>.<p>In a fresh petition to the Ministry, marked to the National Green Tribunal, Green Lives noted that this was in violation of the Supreme Court order. “In WP NO. 202/1995, the Supreme Court has unequivocally held that forest clearance must precede any non-forest activity so as to prevent fait accompli situations,” it said, noting that the department’s tree cutting permissions will also be ex facie illegal due to the lack of prior clearances.</p>.<p>Further, the NGO reiterated that the MoRTH has suppressed the fact a three-km stretch of the road was part of the Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary eco-sensitive zone. “The site inspection report by DCF, Shivamogga division, has deliberately mischaracterised the nature of activity as ‘resurfacing’ instead of ‘widening/strengthening’ with the evident intent of evading regulatory scrutiny,” it said.</p>.<p>It listed several other reasons to demand immediate revocation of the clearance and appropriate action in public interest.</p>.<p>Green Lives secretary Shravan C M said the project will increase human–animal conflict in the coming days within and around the eco-sensitive zone of the sanctuary. “Despite multiple complaints, prima facie, the Forest Department appears to be favouring National Highway development, and this project seems to be the next step towards the proposed Agumbe tunnel,” he added.</p>