Prakash Kamat
Panaji,June 4- A group of 149 scientists, naturalists, conservationists, artists, students and allied professionals have expressed their serious concerns regarding the virtual clearances recently granted to two projects passing through Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife sanctuary and Mollem National Park during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The two projects given virtual clearance include four-laning of highway and laying of a LILO transmission line which will result in habitat fragmentation and have direct impacts on wildlife. There is a third project on the double tracking the railway line from Castle-rock to Collem that is also being considered.
During the pandemic when physical distancing was mandated,the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has adapted to the restrictions by use of technology, thus moving to virtual platform for clearances.
The letter addressed to Union Minister for MoE&F&CC Prakash Javadekar states that such platforms are not able to do justice and take into account all possible factors while granting environmental clearances.
“It is disturbing how two projects can be cleared by the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) in tiger habitat, using poorly-done (NH4A project) or no Environment Impact Assessment(EIA) of LILO Transmission line. No fact checking has been done whether these EIAs were done properly, or if there is sensitive biodiversity in the region. What is the whole point of the EIA process when the NBWL or MoEFCC doesn’t even care to look at it and blindly trusts project proponents?” said Girish A. Punjabi a wildlife biologist and a signatory to the letter.
For instance, the signatories pointed out that the NHA4 highway report was shoddily done and transmission line EIA is not accessible in public domain. They also stated that there was a need to conduct a cumulative environmental impact assessment of the impact of all three projects, that cannot be looked in isolation.
The letter specifically addresses decisions being taken during the 56th and 57th meeting of the Standing Committee of the NBWL pertaining to the proposal affecting Bhagwan Mahavir wildlife sanctuary and the adjoining forests.
"This letter gives voice to thousands of trees in Mollem, Goa part of a protected forest and critical wildlife corridor that would be felled to make way for three infrastructure projects namely widening of railway line, highway road widening and laying of a power transmission line. It also gives voice to the water security of the region, the forests with indigenous trees including the state tree - Matti", says Tallulah D'Silva one of the signatories of the letter.
The letter also speaks about the repercussions these projects will have on the wildlife as well as the communities that reside around this protected area.
"The fragmentation of habitat is very likely to create more human-animal conflict as well as soil being eroded from the hill cutting or land filling during the projects being deposited in the rivers and streams downstream thus affecting aquatic life there", says Omkar Dharwadkar, one of the signatories of the letter.
Given the current circumstances, the signatories called for assessing cumulative impact assessments of the project and to revoke clearances granted during the lock-downuntil pandemic-related travel restrictions are lifted to allow in-person meetings and travel to project sites for fresh appraisals following due process.
The letter concludes by saying that the MoEF&CC and the members of the NBWL reconsider these decisions in the interest of democracy to safeguard Goa's biodiversity and ecological security.(eom)
Panaji,June 4- A group of 149 scientists, naturalists, conservationists, artists, students and allied professionals have expressed their serious concerns regarding the virtual clearances recently granted to two projects passing through Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife sanctuary and Mollem National Park during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The two projects given virtual clearance include four-laning of highway and laying of a LILO transmission line which will result in habitat fragmentation and have direct impacts on wildlife. There is a third project on the double tracking the railway line from Castle-rock to Collem that is also being considered.
During the pandemic when physical distancing was mandated,the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has adapted to the restrictions by use of technology, thus moving to virtual platform for clearances.
The letter addressed to Union Minister for MoE&F&CC Prakash Javadekar states that such platforms are not able to do justice and take into account all possible factors while granting environmental clearances.
“It is disturbing how two projects can be cleared by the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) in tiger habitat, using poorly-done (NH4A project) or no Environment Impact Assessment(EIA) of LILO Transmission line. No fact checking has been done whether these EIAs were done properly, or if there is sensitive biodiversity in the region. What is the whole point of the EIA process when the NBWL or MoEFCC doesn’t even care to look at it and blindly trusts project proponents?” said Girish A. Punjabi a wildlife biologist and a signatory to the letter.
For instance, the signatories pointed out that the NHA4 highway report was shoddily done and transmission line EIA is not accessible in public domain. They also stated that there was a need to conduct a cumulative environmental impact assessment of the impact of all three projects, that cannot be looked in isolation.
The letter specifically addresses decisions being taken during the 56th and 57th meeting of the Standing Committee of the NBWL pertaining to the proposal affecting Bhagwan Mahavir wildlife sanctuary and the adjoining forests.
"This letter gives voice to thousands of trees in Mollem, Goa part of a protected forest and critical wildlife corridor that would be felled to make way for three infrastructure projects namely widening of railway line, highway road widening and laying of a power transmission line. It also gives voice to the water security of the region, the forests with indigenous trees including the state tree - Matti", says Tallulah D'Silva one of the signatories of the letter.
The letter also speaks about the repercussions these projects will have on the wildlife as well as the communities that reside around this protected area.
"The fragmentation of habitat is very likely to create more human-animal conflict as well as soil being eroded from the hill cutting or land filling during the projects being deposited in the rivers and streams downstream thus affecting aquatic life there", says Omkar Dharwadkar, one of the signatories of the letter.
Given the current circumstances, the signatories called for assessing cumulative impact assessments of the project and to revoke clearances granted during the lock-downuntil pandemic-related travel restrictions are lifted to allow in-person meetings and travel to project sites for fresh appraisals following due process.
The letter concludes by saying that the MoEF&CC and the members of the NBWL reconsider these decisions in the interest of democracy to safeguard Goa's biodiversity and ecological security.(eom)
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