Car parking project in tiger reserve: SC seeks Centre's reply

The Supreme Court today asked the Centre to respond to Tamil Nadu's plea against a decision of the National Green Tribunal allowing Kerala to go ahead with a car parking project in the Periyar Tiger Reserve Sanctuary near the Mullaperiyar dam.
A bench comprising Justices A K Sikri and Ashok Bhushan also sought response from Kerala on the plea and said no permanent construction should be made there in the meantime.
It, however, said its order would not prevent Kerala from erecting temporary structure in connection with the parking.
On November 27, the apex court while hearing a separate petition had asked Tamil Nadu and Kerala to amicably settle their dispute over the project in the Mullaperiyar reservoir.

The Tamil Nadu government had approached the apex court alleging that the car parking facility was being built in the core area of the tiger reserve near the reservoir.
It had claimed that there was no permission from the Centre to build the car parking which was being constructed in violation of the Forest Act. It has also claimed that the project was located in the area leased to the state.
Tamil Nadu has claimed that the project, which involved various construction activities, would affect the catchment and water spread area of the dam and consequently, the water of the reservoir which is used for drinking and irrigation purposes by the people of five districts.