Madras HC restrains Centre from commencing work on India-based Neutrino Observatory
MADURAI: The Madurai bench of the
Madras high court on Thursday restrained the central government from commencing the work on the proposed India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) at Pottipuram in Theni district until it gets permission from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB).
The court’s directive has come after MDMK general secretary Vaiko filed a petition challenging the move to set up the INO.
He claimed that it would destroy the environment and the livelihood of people living in the Theni district of Tamil Nadu and the Idukki district of neighbouring Kerala.
The petitioner had also filed a miscellaneous petition along with the main plea praying the court to restrain the central government from commencing the work on the project.
The division bench of justices S Tamilvanan and V S Ravi passed the present order on the miscellaneous petition filed by Vaiko.
"The central government and the TNPCB themselves have admitted that no permission has been obtained from the TNPCB to commence work on the project. On the basis of it, the central government is restrained from commencing research work until it obtains permission from the pollution control board," the bench said.