NH7, which runs through the important Kanha-Pench corridor, took place on July 31 at the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The hearing took place as a result of the National Highway Authority of India's (NHAI) refusal to accept mitigation measures proposed by statutory authorities. Mr. Bishan Bonal, Member Secretary of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), also appeared at the court to file a reply on behalf of the NTCA. At the last hearing, the NGT had lambasted the NTCA for the delay in filing their replies and threatened to issue an arrest warrant for Mr. Bonal for failure to comply to court orders. Advocate Madhavi Divan, the counsel for Conservation Action Trust (CAT), requested three days to file her responses to the NTCA.
NHAI's counsel Pinaki Mishra presented maps to the NGT in an attempt to show that the relevant forest area in Maharashtra is not part of a tiger corridor. However, the Member Secretary of the NTCA responded by reiterating that there is in fact evidence of tiger movement in the area. Representative of NGO Srushti Paryavaran Mandal, Advocate (Adv) Ritwick Dutta, affirmed that the forest area was a definitive corridor between Kanha and Pench, and Pench and Nagzira Tiger Reserves. Dutta supported his claim by presenting a report by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII)-NTCA on corridors, adding that the expansion of NH7 would severely threaten the forested area. He also stated that as per the NTCA affidavit, the WII-NTCA report on corridors is pursuant to Section 38.0 and thus all conditions of the corridor would apply.
With the evidence present in the report, NHAI counsel Pinaki Mishra was forced to comply and hence agreed to build 750 meter long underpasses to facilitate the movement of wildlife. This has proven to be quite a turn of events, as the stand of the NHAI so far has been to build mere 50 meter underpasses for wildlife.
Ritwick Dutta also called out the NHAI's lack of credibility for their project, as he mentioned that the NHAI is attempting to pass off a 4.97 crore conservation plan developed by a local NGO that is not a statutory body. He said that the project proponent trying to suggest mitigation measures is like the “Wildlife Institute of India being asked to build flyovers".
NHAI counsel Pinaki Mishra addressed the NGT to specify the Nagpur High Court's orders to clear the forest in a month's time to accelerate the construction of NH7. However, National Green Tribute Chairperson Swatanter Kumar retorted by saying that the felling of trees cannot be commenced until further orders, as there is no question of the NGT giving up its powers, and that the interim order on the stay on felling of trees will continue till further notice.
The next hearing will take place on August 5, 2015.
Read more: National Green Tribunal Lambasts National Tiger Conservation Authority
