A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Thursday declined to stay a single judge’s verdict upholding the Additional District Magistrate’s order allowing drawing of 110 kV lines over the sacred groves at Santhivanam owned by Meena Menon.
Counsel for the owner had sought a stay on the verdict when the appeal filed by her challenging the single judge’s order came up for hearing.
According to her appeal, her plea against the Additional District Magistrate’s decision was dismissed by the single judge without application of mind and without considering reports filed by the Forest Research Institute, Thrissur.
The single judge also failed to consider the damage that would be caused to environment and the habitat of birds and animals in the grove.
Besides, her plea for drawing the line through an alternative route was also refused by the single judge.
The petitioner pointed out that drawing the line thorough an alternative route would have caused less damage to environment and biodiversity as it would cross over only the northern portion of her property.
The alternative route was more economically feasible as it could be implemented without additional cost or commitment on the part of the KSEB. The alternative route was submitted by the KSEB itself, and there was no reason why the board should now retract from the offer, she said.