ITANAGAR, 12 Jul: The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has approved a proposal to divert 310 hectares of core forest land from the Namdapha Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh for the construction of the strategic Arunachal Frontier Highway (NH-913), despite concerns about its potential environmental and wildlife impacts.
The land, located in Changlang district, is part of a proposed stretch that will connect NH-215 near Kharsang to the Miao-Gandhigram-Vijaynagar road, close to the India-Myanmar border. The Arunachal Pradesh Public Works Department (PWD) had requested 248.79 hectares for road widening and 61.21 hectares for muck disposal.
During a committee meeting on June 26, members H.S. Singh and R. Sukumar, along with the state’s Chief Wildlife Warden (CWW), expressed concerns over the felling of approximately 1.55 lakh trees and the lack of a scientifically grounded wildlife mitigation plan, particularly regarding the design of underpasses and overpasses for animal movement.
Sukumar acknowledged the road’s strategic importance but pointed out that the current plan uses standard PWD culvert designs, which are insufficient for wildlife crossings. He also questioned the need for such a wide expansion. Singh suggested that the animal passage plan be revised before final approval, though the project was ultimately cleared.
In defense, the CWW clarified that the road upgrade involves intermediate laning from a 3.5-meter width, and that the tree count includes undergrowth and poles, not just full-grown trees.
To address wildlife concerns, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has committed to preparing a detailed, site-specific animal passage plan within three months, ensuring that future construction includes mitigation measures based on actual animal movement data.
The NBWL also approved the diversion of 133 hectares of land, including from Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) and a tiger corridor in Andhra Pradesh, for a four-lane national highway between Kadapa and Renigunta. This includes land from the ESZs of Sri Venkateswara and Sri Penusila Lakshmi Narasimha Wildlife Sanctuaries, as well as a stretch from the tiger corridor connecting Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve to Sri Venkateswara National Park. (PTI)
