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Tree felling for Pench highway halted

Update: The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has written to Chief Secretary, Madhya Pradesh that tree cutting must be stopped immediately. It is unofficially learned that tree cutting has been stopped.

NHAI objects to Project Tiger chief's Pench forest report - Dec 16, 2008:

The battle lines have been drawn between the National Highways Authority of India ( NHAI) and the member secretary of Project Tiger, Dr Rajesh Gopal. The NHAI accused Gopal of presenting an “ incomplete and misleading” report to the Supreme Court- appointed Central Empowered Committee ( CEC) on the feasibility of building an underpass for wild animals on the periphery of the Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh.

In his report to the CEC, Gopal said, “ Under no circumstances should the proposal be implemented. The proposed for four- laning of NH- 7 would amount to removal of 22,482 trees in the area proposed for diversion in Maharashtra alone. If implemented, this proposal will cause irreversible damage to the tiger habitat and its surrounding forest corridors. It is counter- productive to the milestone initiatives taken by the government ( for protecting and augmenting the tiger population).” Gopal has proposed 3 alternate routes for widening NH- 7.

Taking umbrage at Gopal’s report, the NHAI has written to the environment ministry: “ He should be asked to prove his statement of violation of Forest Conservation Act at the site. This should be done in the presence of CEC. Otherwise necessary action should be taken against him.” “ Gopal’s advice for suspending cutting of trees from Khawasa to Kurai is unjustified and highly objectionable in the national interest of implementation of the Indian government’s prestigious project of the North- South corridor,” the NHAI said. It added that the work of widening the North- South corridor had been undertaken after environmental clearance from the environment ministry and other bodies.

“The stretch with tree cutting activity does not attract provisions of the Forest Conservation Act,” it insisted.

The NHAI had proposed the underpass as an expedient to prevent animals being run over by speeding vehicles on the widened NH- 7. The existing two- lane road of 45- feet width was sought to be extended to four lanes over a stretch of 8 km. The NH- 7 connects Jabalpur and Nagpur and passes through Seoni forest division in Madhya Pradesh which is a part of Pench.

This area also serves as an important wildlife corridor between Kanha Tiger Reserve and Pench.

The widening of the national highway has already run into rough weather with the Wildlife Trust of India challenging it in the CEC. The SC appointed body had sought Gopal’'s opinion on the matter.

The Police SHO, Mr Dinesh Singh, took immediate action and arrested the three tourists at the gate. The tourists were subsequently searched and later released when no objectionable material or photographs were found and the matter was reported to the higher authorities.

Mr R. P. Singh, Director of Kanha National Park, later stated that a complete report has been sent to the SDO Kanha after which further action is likely to be taken.