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NDTV
a day ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Top Court Orders Probe Into Illegal Construction At Odisha's Satkosia Tiger Reserve
The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notices to the Union government, the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), the Odisha state government, and other authorities in response to a petition challenging provisional No Objection Certificates (NOCs) issued for construction and tourism projects within and around Odisha's Satkosia Tiger Reserve. The petition, filed by advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal, seeks to halt construction activities, citing violations of environmental and wildlife protection laws. It raises urgent concerns about the unchecked expansion of tourism infrastructure in the ecologically sensitive Satkosia Tiger Reserve, a critical habitat notified in 2007. Spanning 1,136.70 sq. km, the reserve encompasses the Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary and Baisipalli Wildlife Sanctuary, divided by the Mahanadi River. It is home to endangered species, including the Asian Elephant, Gharial, and Mugger crocodile, and is recognised as a Ramsar site for its rich aquatic and avian biodiversity. Mr Bansal's plea alleges that District Collectors in Angul, Nayagarh, Boudh, and Cuttack issued provisional NOCs without legal authority, bypassing the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and other environmental regulations. The petition highlights proposed projects, including a high-level bridge over the Mahanadi River and commercial hotels and resorts, which lack mandatory clearances from the Chief Wildlife Warden and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). It further notes the absence of a finalised Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around the reserve, with Odisha's draft ESZ controversially proposing "zero" buffer zones in areas near the ecologically vital Satkosia Gorge, contrary to NTCA's 2018 guidelines mandating a minimum 1-km buffer. "State agencies are undermining critical safeguards under forest, wildlife, and environmental laws through unauthorised constructions and a tourism-driven model that disregards conservation mandates," Mr Bansal argued in the plea. He criticised Odisha's apparent shift from conservation to commercialisation, alleging violations of NTCA's 2012 guidelines and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change's (MoEFCC) 2021 eco-tourism norms, which emphasise low-impact, community-based tourism and prohibit permanent structures in protected areas. Satkosia, one of India's 50 tiger reserves, is a linchpin in the country's biodiversity conservation strategy, particularly for its role in supporting endangered species and maintaining ecological balance along the Mahanadi River. The absence of a finalised ESZ, a recurring issue across India's protected areas, exacerbates vulnerabilities, allowing commercial projects to encroach on wildlife habitats. Environmentalists argue that unchecked tourism infrastructure could disrupt animal migration corridors, degrade water systems, and threaten the reserve's Ramsar status.
Time of India
25-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Constructing dams in Kalesar sanctuary will cause irreversible damage, CEC tells SC
Gurgaon: Allowing construction of four dams inside Kalesar Wildlife Sanctuary in Yamunanagar is likely to cause "irreversible ecological damage, including the loss of critical habitat" for endangered species, the central empowered committee has recommended to the Supreme Court. CEC's advice to the top court came on a plea filed by lawyer Gaurav Kumar Bansal, who last year challenged Haryana govt's approval for the project despite earlier warnings by experts. "Permission to build the four dams inside the sanctuary should be denied. The interim stay on construction, already in place, should continue. The wildlife clearance given by the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) should be withdrawn because it was granted without considering these issues properly," CEC said in its July 9 submission to the top court. You Can Also Check: Gurgaon AQI | Weather in Gurgaon | Bank Holidays in Gurgaon | Public Holidays in Gurgaon Additionally, it said, Haryana's forest department should prepare an alternative watershed management plan to conserve water and prevent flooding without harming the sanctuary. The issue dates to 2016, when the Haryana govt proposed constructing four medium-sized dams – named Chikkan, Kansli, Ambawali and Khillanwalla -- on seasonal tributaries (called khols), which feed into river Pathrala. In 2019, a report by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and a letter by the state's principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) also warned against construction of the dams, saying that these structures could harm wildlife and would not be useful as the streams on which the project was being planned did not carry water all year-round. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Family Adopted A New 'Dog', But When The Vet Sees It He Calls The Police Undo Despite these warnings, Haryana govt approved the project and preliminary work such as site clearance began in the wildlife sanctuary. The SC bench of justices BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta in April 2024 issued an interim stay on construction of the four dams and directed CEC to inspect the site to investigate the petitioner's allegations. A five-member team of CEC in Oct 2024 visited the sanctuary and noted that there were already eight earthen dams built by the forest department near the proposed sites for the new dams. These structures, the committee's report signed by member secretary Banumathi G said, are being used by wildlife and blend into the habitat without disrupting it. In conclusion, CEC said, the proposal to build dams on tributaries flowing through the sanctuary will lead to permanent destruction of habitat. The committee also raised legal concerns and said that Haryana govt's proposal was not approved by the State Dam Safety Organisation (SDSO) or the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA). This approval is mandatory under the Dam Safety Act, 2021. Most importantly, the committee said, the dams are not unavoidable and don't have to be built inside the sanctuary. According to environmental laws, diversion of forest land in protected areas should be allowed only if there is no other option. "The stated objectives of the proposed dams, particularly in relation to irrigation, are not adequately justified, given conflicting data on irrigation dependency and the potential for locating such structures outside the sanctuary… The diversion of forest land for the proposed dams does not meet the threshold of 'unavoidable and site-specific need'," the CEC report said. Asked about the petition and CEC's report, Haryana govt officials said they cannot comment on the issue. "The plan was to construct dams for irrigation in the area. The matter is sub-judice," an irrigation department official said. The petitioner Gaurav Kumar Bansal told TOI that there have been ample warnings about construction of these dams in the sanctuary. "The WII report clearly states that the four dams are not feasible. If these dams are constructed, then around 1 lakh trees will be felled inside the sanctuary. Moreover, no comprehensive ecological mitigation measures have been submitted. The stated dependency on the proposed dams for irrigation purposes has been contradicted by the agriculture department. So, there is no requirement for these dams, especially in a state like Haryana which has the lowest forest cover in the country," Bansal said on Monday. The next date of hearing in the plea is yet to be listed.
Time of India
12-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Wildlife Institute of India to study highway impact on Kalesar National Park in Haryana
Gurgaon: Wildlife Institute of India (WII) will conduct a six-month study to identify wildlife movement patterns and optimal animal crossing locations for the proposed four-lane expansion of NH-907 through the ecologically sensitive Kalesar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary — which is a protected area in the Yamunanagar district of Haryana. The study — costing Rs 19.7 lakh and funded by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) — will also assess the feasibility of constructing an elevated highway through the park to minimise habitat disturbance. On May 5, the Haryana forest department had proposed a WII study and on May 8, the WII accepted the same. This move follows a National Green Tribunal (NGT) order in Jan mandating ecological safeguards for the project following a plea filed by Gaurav Kumar Bansal, an advocate. Bansal told TOI, "The study's outcomes will be pivotal in balancing infrastructure development with conservation in one of north India's most ecologically fragile zones. "Construction of this new NH intersects the Kalesar Wildlife Sanctuary, which is a protected area and has immense ecological significance. Eco-friendly measures to mitigate the adverse effect of the construction of the NH are required to be taken," In January, the tribunal had directed the chief wildlife warden to evaluate mitigation proposals, including input from the State Biodiversity Board. "We are of the view that the chief wildlife warden, Haryana, must examine the issue relating to the protection of local biodiversity and the mitigation measures, if any, which are required to be adopted," the order on Jan 29 said. The plea was disposed of by chairperson Prakash Shrivastava along with expert member A Senthil May 8, IFS director, WII (Dehradun), Virendra R Tiwari, wrote back to the chief wildlife warden (Haryana), "We would complete the mitigation planning within six months after the release of the funds. The overall estimate to conduct the said study is Rs 19.7 lakh." This was in response to a letter written by chief wildlife warden (Haryana) Vivek Saxena on May 5 that said, "Haryana wildlife department intends to undertake a comprehensive study through WII on wildlife movement and the identification of suitable locations for animal crossings along the proposed project alignment."Saxena said, "The possibility of an elevated highway throughout the Kalesar National Park may be explored without disturbing habitat, along with the formulation of eco-friendly mitigation measures. The budgetary requirements for conducting this study will be borne by NHAI." Kalesar forms part of the Terai Arc Landscape, a vital tiger and elephant corridor between Rajaji and Simbalbara national parks.
