A high-level wildlife panel has given its nod to several infrastructure and mining projects located within and around critical tiger habitats across central India, alongside a controversial ropeway proposal inside a national park in Uttarakhand. The decisions, taken during a recent meeting, come with a set of mandated environmental safeguards aimed at mitigating potential damage to wildlife corridors.
Projects Approved in Madhya Pradesh's Tiger Landscapes
The standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has recommended clearance for three significant projects affecting tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh. These include a limestone mining lease in the Satna territorial forest, an underground water pipeline in the Sanjay Dubri Tiger Reserve, and construction work related to the Barna dam in the Ratapani Tiger Reserve.
The most notable among these is the limestone mine, proposed by AAA Resource Limited, which spans 266.302 hectares of revenue land. This land is situated within and adjacent to an approved wildlife corridor that forms a vital link between the Panna, Bandhavgarh, and Sanjay Tiger Reserves. A joint inspection committee from the Union Environment Ministry, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), and the MP forest department noted that while the lease area is not within a protected area's core or buffer, parts of it fall within a delineated tiger corridor.
The site visit revealed that the southern section of the lease area has a contiguous forest patch that serves as a viable route for tiger movement, whereas the northern part is fragmented. Consequently, the committee recommended the project on the strict condition that tiger movement through the southern corridor must be ensured and strengthened. This would involve restricting mining activities in that zone and undertaking habitat improvement measures.
Ropeway in Rajaji's Core and Mining in Chhattisgarh Sanctuary
In a separate decision, the NBWL panel approved the use of 4.54 hectares of land from the core area of Rajaji Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand for constructing a ropeway. The proposed ropeway will connect Rishikesh's Triveni Ghat to the Neelkanth Mahadev temple.
During deliberations, the Chief Wildlife Warden of Uttarakhand defended the proposal, arguing that it would alleviate severe traffic congestion on the forested road route used by pilgrims, especially during the annual Kanwar pilgrimage season. Expert member Raman Sukumar remarked that the proposal should be considered from an ecological perspective. The clearance was granted with a crucial rider: the Uttarakhand government must commission a study through the Wildlife Institute of India to analyse animal movement in the area and recommend specific measures to lessen the construction's impact.
Furthermore, the panel also recommended clearance for two bauxite mining projects located in the eco-sensitive zone of the Phen Wildlife Sanctuary in Kabirdham district, Chhattisgarh. The NTCA highlighted that although these mining leases are outside the core or buffer zones of protected areas, their proximity to the Phen sanctuary, the Kanha Tiger Reserve, and the crucial Kanha-Achanakmar tiger corridor necessitates strong ecological safeguards.
Balancing Development and Conservation
These approvals underscore the ongoing challenge of balancing infrastructure development and economic projects with the imperative of wildlife conservation. The decisions, recorded in the minutes of the NBWL's meeting held on December 9, reflect a pattern where projects in sensitive ecological zones are being conditionally cleared. The mandated studies and safeguards, such as corridor protection and impact mitigation studies, are now critical components of the clearance process.
The outcomes will be closely watched by conservationists, who will monitor the implementation of these conditions to ensure that the integrity of India's vital tiger corridors and protected habitats is not compromised in the pursuit of development.
