The Himachal Pradesh High Court has sought a response from the Shimla Municipal Corporation (MC) and the state government on the imposition of green tax at the four entry points to Shimla without fulfilling the conditions imposed by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).
Passing the directions, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Kurain Joseph and Justice DC Chaudhary issued a notice to the state government, the MC and the NHAI, directing them to file their responses by October 17.
The court passed the order on a petition filed by Mangeleshwar Sharma of Solan, who claimed that the MC went ahead with the construction of the barriers without obtaining permission or a no-objection certificate from the competent authority.
He referred to a letter issued by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to the NHAI, according to which the MC would have to construct separate lay-byes and bear the cost of construction.
The petitioner added that the barriers at the four entry points were resulting in traffic jams and causing harassment to motorists. The matter would come up for hearing on October 17.
