The Rajasthan high court on Monday appointed a court commissioner to assess the utility of helipads being constructed by the state government under famine relief works.

A division bench of the court, consisting of Chief Justice Anil Dev Singh and Justice K S Rathore, directed advocate Ajay Rastogi to assess the utility of the proposed helipads in Jaipur district and report his findings to the court.

The bench also asked the state government to furnish an undertaking that it would not take up new construction of helipads till the court finally decides the matter.

The court was acting on a public interest litigation against the state government's proposal to get scores of helipads constructed in each district under famine relief works.

Taking suo motu cognisance of newspaper reports regarding the government's decision in this matter, vacation judge S K Keshote had issued notice to the state government early in June.

The government in its reply to the division bench on Monday asserted that helipads in rural areas would boost tourism and would have no adverse impact on the environment.