State Govt given 4 weeks to file counter affidavit on petition challenging Tashiding HEP

GANGTOK, 24 July: The petition filed by Sonam Lama and Chewang Tenzing challenging the Tashiding Hydro Electric Power Project on the  Rathong Chu came up for hearing today in the High Court of Sikkim. While the State government sought six weeks time to file its counter affidavit, the division bench of the High Court allowed it four weeks instead and directed that any rejoinder thereof by the petitioners be filed in another three weeks.
Advocate for the petitioners, Sunil J. Mathews, also prayed for an ad-interim stay on construction and implementation of the Tashiding HEP during the pendency of the writ petition.
The Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Permod Kohli turned down the request. The court observed that an ad-interim order cannot be passed at this stage and pointed out that the construction of the Tashiding Hydro Electricity Project will be subject to the outcome of the writ petitions.
The Tashiding Hydro Electricity Project is being developed by Shiga Energy Private Limited, which filed its counter affidavit through its Senior Counsel, A Moulick today.
Also today, the court allowed Power Trading Corporation of India’s plea to be removed from the list of respondents.