KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court has dismissed a writ petition challenging the construction of the Pathibhara cable car, citing that a dispute related to the same issue is pending.

Supreme Court Registrar Bhadrakali Pokharel rejected a writ petition related to the construction of the Pathibhara cable car in Taplejung. Laxmi Tamang had filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court on behalf of the Indigenous Bar Association.

The Supreme Court has refused to register a new petition on the grounds that the writ petition filed by Aindra Kumar Limbu on 15 February 2021 on behalf of Kirant Yakthung Chumlung is pending in the Supreme Court and a supplementary petition has also been filed on the same issue.

The bench order states that the four-year-old writ petition was filed on 30 Magh (Wednesday). The Indigenous Bar Association had filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court seeking an interim order to stop the cable car construction process, stating that allowing the construction of the cable car at the Pathibhara temple would lead to forest destruction, loss of precious herbs, caste harassment and incitement of violence.