The Assam Government on Thursday told the National Green Tribunal(NGT) that traffic on a stretch of National Highway 37 along the Kaziranga National Park (KNP) cannot be restricted absolutely despite the Tribunal pulling it up over "ruthless killing" of animals by vehicles.
This comes after of the directives of NGT on October 9 to the Assam government to appraise it of the steps taken and proposed measures to protect the wild animals of KNP.
The State Government said that the road is the economic lifeline for areas rich in tea cultivation and coal and oil production and that there has been no significant rise in mortality rate of animals in the concerned stretch during the last two decades.
An affidavit filed before the NGT by Assam Chief Secretary said, "The state government being a welfare state cannot ignore the welfare of the people who reside in lakhs in various townships in Upper Assam."
It further read, "Upper Assam is very rich in tea cultivation, coal and oil production, therefore, the state government is duty bound to protect the economic lifeline to that part of the state by balancing steps taken and to be taken to protect the wildlife of KNP area.
"Records reveal that animal population in KNP is also increasing due to various conservation/ protection measures taken by the state forest department since 1991 while the mortality rate due to accidents has not shown any significant increase," said the affidavit.
Regarding the Numaligarh Refinery ltd (NRl) located near KNP which largely adds to traffic on the stretch with trucks moving to and from the unit, the state put the onus on Environment Ministry saying it should have monitored compliance of conditions imposed while granting clearance, which include diversion of the stretch bypassing KNP.
The NGT is hearing a plea filed by RTI activist Rohit Choudhury opposing expansion of the NH-37 stretch running through the national park claiming that "continued unregulated use of NH-37 is leading to death of wild animals and reptiles in large numbers in road accidents".