Jewar airport: Wildlife institute to prepare conservation plan for seeking environmental clearances

The Wildlife Institute of India agreed to prepare the conservation plan after a detailed discussion took place at Dehradun with officials from airport consultant, PwC, Noida International Airport Limited and others.

The Noida International Airport Limited on Tuesday said the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) will form a committee of scientists to prepare a conservation plan for the site at Jewar along the 165km Yamuna Expressway where the Noida International Greenfield airport is proposed to be built.

The Noida International Airport Limited on Tuesday said the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) will form a committee of scientists to prepare a conservation plan for the site at Jewar along the 165km Yamuna Expressway where the Noida International Greenfield airport is proposed to be built. (Virendra Singh Gosain/HT PHOTO)

The WII agreed to prepare the conservation plan after a detailed discussion took place at Dehradun with officials from airport consultant, PwC, Noida International Airport Limited and others.

The officials were in Dehradun for a discussion after the ministry of environment, forest and climate change(MoEFC ) raised some objections with regard to the proposal submitted to seek environmental clearance for the ambitious airport project.

The Noida International Greenfield airport project is spread on 5,000 hectares of area that falls in 39 villages near Jewar along Yamuna Expressway— that connects Greater Noida with Agra.

However, as part of the first phase of the project the PwC —on behalf of Uttar Pradesh government— has sought environmental clearances for 1,239.14 hectares of land in six villages- Ranhera, Parohi, Rohi, Kishorpu, Dayanatpur and Banwari Bas.

In its observations, MoEFC had raised concerns about damage to ecology that include damage to natural ponds, canal, thousands of tree that could be felled, disturbance to the wildlife habitat—which is home to the state bird, sarus crane, and blackbucks among others. To protect the flora and fauna and ecology of this region, the MoEFC wants the Yamuna Expressway Industrial development authority(Yeida) and the NIAL to take preventive measures.

“After today’s’ discussions, the WII had agreed to conduct a study and then prepare a detailed conservation plan so that the project does not affect the environment at all. Now, as a follow-up to the meeting, we will prepare terms of reference on which the WII can work ahead. The WII will form an expert committee of scientists that will take up the job,” said Shailendra Bhatia, officer on special duty of Yeida and nodal official of NIAL.

Officials said the Wildlife Institute of India is an autonomous institution under the ministry of environment forest and climate change and it will be the best agency to prepare the conservation plan that will help in procuring the environment clearance for the project.