Despite refusal by wildlife board, forest minister again pushes for airport near Tadoba tiger reserve

MUMBAI: The popular Tadoba Andhari tiger reserve in Chandrapur district, which is also part of the central India tiger corridor, is at the receiving end of a consistent threat from the very entity mandated to protect it: the state’s forest minister

MUMBAI: The popular Tadoba Andhari tiger reserve in Chandrapur district, which is also part of the central India tiger corridor, is at the receiving end of a consistent threat from the very entity mandated to protect it: the state’s forest minister. A couple of months ago, The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) rejected a proposal to build an airport near Chandrapur, since it could affect the tiger habitat around Tadoba. However, minister Sudhir Mungantiwar has asked the State Wildlife Board to re-send the airport proposal.

A file photo of BJP leader and minister Sudhir Mungantiwar addressing the media in Mumbai.(Anshuman Poyrekar/HT photo)

Mungantiwar is from Chandrapur and is insisting on building an airport there, as he claims it will help in promoting tourism. Significantly, Nagpur Airport is about two hours’ travelling time from his city.

In September this year, NBWL, the topmost decision-making body on projects in tiger corridors and protected forests, rejected the proposal of the state-owned Maharashtra Airport Development Corporation to build a greenfield airport at Vihirgaon and Murti villages in Rajura taluka in Chandrapur. The NBWl standing committee pointed out that a Wildlife Institute of India survey report had said that given the wildlife value of the area and its connecting tiger corridors, the proposed site would not be considered for the construction of the airport.

The NBWL’s statements notwithstanding, Mungantiwar is again pushing for the new airport. There is an existing small airport at Morwa near Chandrapur but the local administration does not find it feasible to expand it into a full-scale airport.

A greenfield airport would need a large portion of forest land. The area proposed for the airport is 63.540 hectares, of which 25.27 hectares are protected forest land and 38.27 hectares reserved forest land. The construction would also require the felling of 3,392 trees in the area.

The issue of the airport was discussed again in the State Board for Wildlife (SBWL) meeting held in October this year. The minutes of the meeting released in mid-November point out that the airport proposed at Vihirgaon-Murti had been rejected by NBWL. However, SBWL vice-chairperson Mungantiwar directed that the proposal be sent for reconsideration to the Standing Committee of NBWL.

‘The proposal for reconsideration shall highlight the fact that the observation made in the Forest Advisory Council meeting and the Standing Committee of NBWL do not take into consideration some vital facts that justify the proposal. While sending the proposal, the factual position regarding the distance of the proposed airport from Nagpur Airport, the infeasibility of upgradation of Morwa Airport and the fact that the airstrip does not pass through tiger corridor have to be highlighted. It shall also be highlighted that the poor human development index, left-wing extremism problem and the need for accelerated growth are the important factors in this regard,’ say the minutes of the meeting.

The state government also informed NBWL that apart from the Rajura sites, three alternative sites were explored by the state but they were not found suitable for an airport in view of obstacles like high-tension lines, chimneys and hills. The proposed site is 39 km from the already existing Morwa Airport.

Sudhir Mungantiwar had earlier said that the airport was needed “for industries and to tackle Naxal activity”. Speaking to Hindustan Times on Saturday, he said, “We have sent the proposal to the Centre again. If it is rejected, the people of Chandrapur, under the aegis of the Chandrapur Vikas group, will go to court.”