3,817 trees across tiger corridor to be destroyed?

For construction of the Chandrapur Greenfield airport, the Maharashtra forest department has issued preliminary clearances for tree felling and diversion of forest land at a recognised tiger corridor in Vidarbha.

For construction of the Chandrapur Greenfield airport, the Maharashtra forest department has issued preliminary clearances for tree felling and diversion of forest land at a recognised tiger corridor in Vidarbha.

Tiger corridor in Chandrapur division. (WII)

The project would lead to destruction of 3,817 trees and diversion of 75 hectares (ha) forest land (47ha reserved forest and 28ha protected forest) at Vihirgaon and Murti villages in Rajura taluka, an identified tiger corridor by Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun. The details were revealed after the forest department responded to a right to information (RTI) query filed recently by a wildlife activist. The activist, requesting anonymity, shared documents with HT. WII, which studied the wildlife impact of the project, said the airport would hamper the connectivity of the corridor and result in increased human-wildlife conflict. HT has reviewed WII’s report.

Spread across 340ha, the Maharashtra Airport Development Corporation (MADC), appointed as the nodal agency for the project by the state government in 2018, intends to develop the first Greenfield airport in Vidarbha which would cater to Q-400, A-320 and smaller planes. It will accelerate economic development in the region by facilitating swift transportation from different parts of the country, MADC said.

The Chandrapur forest department gave its nod in March this year. “The proposal was recommended subject to mitigation measures as proposed by WII, regularisation or compensating encroachments, and compensatory afforestation of 1,000 saplings per hectare at degraded forest land across 76.06ha in Chandrapur,” said SV Ramarao, chief conservator of forests, Chandrapur

The airport site is located in central Chanda, which is 32km from Chaprala Wildlife Sanctuary, 38km from the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) buffer, and next to the proposed Kanhargaon wildlife sanctuary.

WII said the project should be avoided. “The proposed site is known for its wildlife value, especially for tigers and its importance as a connecting corridor. The present site may or shall not be considered for the construction of the proposed airport. It will impact the functional connectivity of the corridor and may result in increased human-wildlife conflict in the district,” read the report by WII.

WII had suggested mitigation measures in case there were no alternative sites for the airport. “The most important mitigation measure is for MADC to undertake restoration of 17 forest patches with mixed plantation to ensure connectivity of the corridor,” said a WII researcher.

MADC said they received stage I clearance (from state forest department) under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, and await stage II clearance (from Union environment ministry) before commencing construction. “All clearances from the state have been received. Once the Centre issues final clearance, WII’s mitigation measures will be implemented before commencing construction,” said Deepak Joshi, public relations officer, MADC.

However, the state chief wildlife warden denied this. “So far, only the territorial wing has submitted its recommendation. The proposal is with the forest department’s nodal officer. It is yet to be examined by other departments, and will then be sent to the state government. Once the state clears the proposal, stage I clearance will be obtained. At the moment, this has not happened,” said Nitin Kakodkar, principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife). “The tiger corridor makes the project an extremely sensitive area, and the details have to be examined carefully.”

Meanwhile, the project will be developed in two phases. Phase I includes development over 291.37ha, while phase II involves work on 48.57ha. “Land acquisition for the first phase is complete. The second phase will begin soon. The Covid-19 crisis delayed the process of receiving clearances,” said Joshi.

Chandrapur district is home to about 170 of the state’s 312 tigers. “The proposed airport area has tiger, leopard, and wild prey occupancy. It will be not only disastrous for wild animals, but also dangerous for civil aviation. Such a site will be rejected as per international civil aviation rules,” said Kishor Rithe, former member of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL).