In Brief
The Supreme Court upheld the National Green Tribunal's decision quashing environmental clearance for Bangalore's Peripheral Ring Road. The Court held the project fell within the EIA Notification 2006's highway category and required clearance. It found critical failures: the EIA was prepared on expired Terms of Reference and outdated data (collected 2009–2010, submitted 2014); material information about forest land diversion and 16,785 trees was concealed in the report; and the State Expert Appraisal Committee failed to apply proper scrutiny. The Court ordered the appellant to conduct fresh rapid EIA with an accredited consultant, obtain requisite forest clearance, and address environmental concerns before reappraisal.
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