Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh): Madhya Pradesh High Court has stayed the construction work of 108 feet high statue of Adi Shankaracharya (statue of oneness) to be built on a 54-feet-high platform in Omkareshwar, Khandwa district.
An Indore-based NGO, Lokhit Abhiyan Samiti had filed a petition in the high court demanding ban on the project. The petitioner said in the petition that it would create damage to nature due to cutting of trees and digging up the mountain.
During hearing the case, the division bench of chief justice Ravi Malimath and justice Vishal Mishra issued a notice to the state government and sought a response in view of the damage to nature and neglect of local public faith by this project.
The court also summoned a reply from the Khandwa Collector, DFO and Revenue Officer and the State Archaeological Department.
According to reports, the statue of oneness was likely to be completed by 2023. The estimated cost of the idol was over 2000 crores.
