NEW DELHI: An expert committee of the environment ministry has recommended granting environment clearance for a 235-km green highway linking Varanasi and Kolkata, which requires diversion of over 103 hectares of reserved and protected forest land in West Bengal.
Part of the proposed National Highways Authority of India project, which includes construction and cost of a four- to six-lane expressway $9,250 crore, will also pass through the Tigers’ territory.
Details of the project were discussed at the 444th meeting of the expert committee, known as the Expert Evaluation Committee, which was held between April 23 and 24.
The project will be implemented across Purulia, Bankura, Patchim Medinipur, Hooghly and Howrah districts, and will require felling of 40,000 trees in non-forest areas and 10,000 trees in forest areas, according to the minutes of the meeting.
While the Jangalmahal elephant corridor is 7.75 km to the south of the project, “the elephant corridors cross the existing highway alignment at a different location.”
The study area for the proposed project also includes 17 Schedule-I species under the Wildlife Act, such as jackal, sambar deer, striped hyena, Indian fox, Indian elephant and leopard. To address wildlife movement, NHAI has proposed construction of 20 wildlife tunnels for elephants.
“The committee felt that wildlife crossing structures should be fully compliant with DFO recommendations including the 300 meter spacing recommendations, and no tunnel should be less than that specified by DFO,” according to meeting minutes.
The EAC also said the height of wildlife tunnels should be eight to 10 metres.
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