In a PIL regarding shifting of the location of planned ISBT from Gaulapar in Haldwani to another location, the High Court of Uttarakhand has sought a detailed reply from the State Government in four weeks. During hearing of the PIL in the division bench of chief justice Ramesh Ranganathan and justice Ramesh Chandra Khulbe, it came to light that the Government is planning to shift the under construction ISBT to another site whereas Rs 11 crore were already spent and 2625 trees of various species were axed with forest department handing over about eight hectare land for the ISBT.
Gaulapar resident Ravi Shankar Joshi had filed the PIL in the high court contending that the ISBT should be constructed at Gaulapar.
The petitioner stated that necessary governmental permission for the ISBT had been received in 2008-09 after which the Forest Department had transferred land to the Transport Department in 2015. After 2015, 2625 green trees were axed, construction work was started and about Rs 11 crore was spent on the project. The district magistrate, divisional forest officer and RTO had stated that the land in Gaulapar was most suitable for ISBT in Haldwani. Shifting the under construction ISBT to another location is baseless, the PIL States.