₹25 crore to be spent annually on wildlife conservation around airport site in Jewar

The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (Yeida), along with the Noida International Airport Limited, has decided to spend ₹25 crore annually on wildlife

The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (Yeida), along with the Noida International Airport Limited, has decided to spend ₹25 crore annually on wildlife protection and conservation in the 25km buffer zone to be demarcated around the site of proposed international airport in Jewar.

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The move comes after several discussions with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) that is about to finalise the conservation plan. The Noida International Airport Limited (NIAL), a nodal agency to monitor the airport project, had signed a memorandum of understating with WII on August 30 last year for the preparation of a conservation plan. WII is an autonomous institute under the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change.

“WII had already submitted a draft report and an inception report to us on conservation plan around Jewar airport. We have asked them to make changes in the report because we have decided to make 25km buffer zone instead of 10km. They are likely to submit a final report very soon. After discussions, we have decided to spend ₹25 crore annually on protection and conservation of flora and fauna, and environment in the 25km area of airport site,” said Arun Vir Singh, chief executive officer of Yeida and NIAL.

Apart from ₹25 crore, Yeida and NIAL will also arrange ₹10 crore annually from corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds. “We have decided to arrange ₹10 crore under CSR scheme in which corporate houses spend money on social activities. We have already in touch with interested companies for the additional fund,” said Singh.

The Noida International Greenfield Airport project is spread on 5,000 hectares of area that falls in 39 villages in Jewar along the Yamuna Expressway, that connects Greater Noida with Agra. Under Phase 1, the government has acquired 1,334 hectares of land on which the development work by Swiss company Zurich International AG, the concessionaire for the airport project, is likely to be started by mid-2021. The airport will become operational as per deadline by 2023.

“We have decided to rope in a central agency such as Forest Research Institute that will help us in implementation of conservation work. We are likely to set up a rescue centre for injured birds or animals that may face any trouble when the construction begins,” said Singh.

Besides, there is a plan to set up a veterinary hospital and a monitoring station at the site, the officials said. In a survey, it is found that the authority needs to conserve 135 wetlands, which are located in 25km buffer zone.

“As many as 129 wetlands are fed by rainy water only, and remaining six are old wetlands, which have water in all seasons. We will make sure all these wetlands are conserved,” said Singh.

The officials said that expert teams will be deployed in standby mode at the site to rush help to an injured bird or animal. “The central agency to be roped in will monitor the construction closely via close circuit television cameras and provide immediate relief to any bird or wildlife animal in need. We have also decided to make a bird sanctuary at Dhanauri, that is a habitat of Sarus crane,” said the Yeida CEO.