PANAJI: The Supreme Court has upheld the Central Empowered Committee (CEC)’s recommendation for revoking the clearances for doubling the railway line between Goa’s Mormugao Port and Tinaighat in Karnataka through the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats, saying there was no substantial basis to undertake the project.
The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) approved the project in April 2020 and triggered protests in Goa.
“The Ministry of Railways or RVNL [Rail Vikas Nigam Limited] have failed to provide any substantial basis for the requirement of doubling the railway line...,” a bench of Justices L Nageshwara Rao, B R Gavai, and Aniruddha Bose said on Monday.
The court asked the railways to “submit a fresh proposal to the Standing Committee of NBWL” after carrying out “a detailed analysis on the impact of the proposed project on the biodiversity and ecology of the protected areas”. It added this shall be considered in accordance with the law.
The court called a detailed study and analysis of the impact of the proposed project on the biodiversity and ecological system of the protected areas necessary.
In its report to the court, the CEC said it did not find “any justification for undertaking a project of this nature which will destroy the fragile ecosystem of the Western Ghats which is an internationally recognised biodiversity hotspot and also one of the most important wildlife corridors of the country. Moreover, this doubling project will only marginally enhance the capacity of the most inefficient section of the Railway Network passing through ecologically-sensitive and biodiversity rich tiger reserve, two wildlife sanctuaries and a national park.”
{{/usCountry}}In its report to the court, the CEC said it did not find “any justification for undertaking a project of this nature which will destroy the fragile ecosystem of the Western Ghats which is an internationally recognised biodiversity hotspot and also one of the most important wildlife corridors of the country. Moreover, this doubling project will only marginally enhance the capacity of the most inefficient section of the Railway Network passing through ecologically-sensitive and biodiversity rich tiger reserve, two wildlife sanctuaries and a national park.”
{{/usCountry}}The Amche Mollem Citizens Group, which has been leading the protests against the project, called the verdict a huge victory. “...the state Wildlife Advisory Board members should now take a firm stand and pass a resolution against this double tracking project for the sake of thousands of Goans and the natural heritage they love,” it said in a statement.