How The Tiger May Get Another Chance

Harish Salve takes cover as Open reports his note to the Supreme Court on highway expansion through Kanha-Pench.

Harish Salve takes cover as Open reports his note to the Supreme Court on highway expansion through Kanha-Pench.

Harish Salve takes cover as Open reports his note to the Supreme Court on highway expansion through Kanha-Pench.

Within 48 hours of Open publishing a report on how amicus curiae Harish Salve deviated from the Supreme Court’s Central Empowered Committee’s (CEC) recommendations against the proposed expansion of NH7 through Kanha-Pench landscape in his note to the apex court, Salve admitted before the court that his note was factually incorrect and withdrew it.

Addressing the court on Friday, Salve said he was being hounded by the media and “a journalist” sent him a point-by-point query seeking clarification on his amicus note. He wondered if he was answerable outside the court and if his integrity was being questioned. At this, the court observed that its amicus curiae should continue with his job if his conscience was clear.

In his reply to Open’s queries, Salve admitted that his amicus note was wrong in claiming that the National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) had cleared the National Highway Authority of India’s NH7 expansion project through Kanha-Pench landscape. The fact is that the board had actually rejected it. He accepted the same before the court on Friday,  22 January, and further said that the case should now be heard on the basis of the CEC report and the NHAI petition and that his amicus note should be considered “never submitted”.

At this, the counsel representing local residents submitted that the CEC report had clearly advised against any expansion plan of NH7 through Pench and that the view of the Ministry of Environment and Forests be sought on the matter. The counsel representing the Ministry of Environment and Forests reiterated that the ministry stood by the CEC report. The court scheduled the next hearing for 29 January. Watch this space.

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