At a time when value of the rupee is sliding and the Government is looking for investors, the Standing Committee of National Board of Wildlife (NBWl) is under pressure to clear development projects.
The 30th meeting of the NBWl — scheduled on September 4 — is expected to decide the fate of more than 70 projects in and around sanctuaries and national parks. Members have admitted growing pressure from the development lobby. One was, for instance, to reduce the extent of eco-sensitive zones and restrictions to declare new sanctuaries. The likes of Maharashtra and Karnataka have declared new sanctuaries of late. Certain board members felt that even the Environment Ministry is not keen on bringing key wildlife corridors under the purview of NBWl, as being repeatedly discussed in previous meetings.
On the NBWl agenda this time is construction of the 400-MW Humbarli Pumped Hydroelectric Project in Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary and proposal for permission to use private agricultural land for non-agricultural and educational purpose in Kashti village, which happens to be the habitat of the endangered Great Indian Bustard (GIB) in Maharashtra.
A report on both projects is expected to be submitted to the NBWl in the forthcoming meeting. Another proposal is diversion of 4.493 hectares of forest land from Pench-Mowgli Wildlife Sanctuary for a two-lane to four-lane upgrade of Seoni-Khawasa on the Madhya Pradesh border by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). The issue was discussed during NBWl’s previous meeting, on June 6. It had then decided that the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) report on this proposal would be circulated among members for their consideration, which has been done.
Establishment of 400 KV D/C Rajgarh-Karamsad transmission line — passing through Kharmor Wildlife Sanctuary, Madhya Pradesh — is also expected to be discussed. Diversion of 7.60 hectares of forest land — from Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary — is also being sought for upgrade/widening of road from Kupup to Tri-junction in East Sikkim. A decision on this had been deferred in the last meeting and is now expected to be taken up.
NBWl will look into the plan to set up an 80,000-tpa plant for manufacturing viscose staple fibre at Patalganga, in Raigarh district of Maharashtra. There were some differences among NBWl members regarding the Gargai river water project in Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary. It was rejected by most members but a report has been sought by Dr Asad Rahmani, a senior standing committee member.