6k trees in elephant corridor face axe for Doon airport expansion
The proposal involves diversion of approximately 48 hectares (about 110 acres) of forest land, and the tree enumeration in the affected area has been completed.
NS Dobhal, ranger of the Thano Forest Range under the Dehradun Forest Division, said, "About 6,000 trees have been counted in the area and the details have been sent to the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA), which is overseeing the project, for further action."
He added that the next step involves the user agency uploading a proposal on the Parivesh portal as per Forest Conservation Act guidelines. The forest department will then examine the proposal before it is sent to the ministry for further clearances and approvals.
Shahwant Sharma, manager of Jolly Grant Airport, told TOI, "The state govt is in the final stages of identifying the land to be handed over to the Airports Authority of India for the airport's expansion.
We expect the handover to be completed within the next three months. The state govt is overseeing both the land acquisition and the tree removal process."
The development has drawn criticism from conservationists, especially as it comes despite chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami's 2022 assurance, made during Wildlife Week, that "no trees would be cut in the reserve for development projects".
The area identified for diversion falls within a riverine ecosystem that sustains elephants, leopards and several species of antelope.
Conservationists have flagged concerns over habitat fragmentation in the Thano, Badkot and Rishikesh forest ranges due to rapid urbanisation and infrastructure projects.
"Forests are vital for recharging river systems. The wellbeing of this forest directly affects the Chandrabhaga river, which supports both wildlife and local communities. Many animals come regularly to its banks to drink," said veteran environmentalist Ravi Chopra.
The airport expansion has faced ecological scrutiny since 2020. The Shivalik Elephant Reserve was briefly denotified to facilitate the project, but was later re-notified following legal challenges and public outcry. A previous proposal had sought the diversion of 87 hectares (214 acres) of forest land, requiring nearly 9,700 trees to be cut, but it was shelved after strong opposition.
In addition to the airport project, around 4,000 trees in the Shivalik Elephant Reserve were also marked for felling for the proposed four-laning of the Bhaniyawala–Rishikesh road. The road would run close to Rajaji Tiger Reserve, which is home to tigers, elephants, leopards, and several species of antelope. That project too faced protests from residents and environmentalists.
In Aug 2020, around 2,500 century-old Sal trees were cut down for the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway to reduce travel time by 15 minutes. Conservationists then also objected to the removal of trees from the forest corridor.
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