NHAI officials to visit NH-6 today

NAGPUR: Forest officials, wildlife experts and National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) officers will undertake a site inspection of controversial patches between Sirpur and Lakhni on NH-6 on Friday.

The four-laning of the 80-km patch between Sirpur and Lakhni breaks the tiger corridor between Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary and Navegaon National Park. The corridor has immense importance as it connects nine tiger reserves and many protected areas (PAs).

Chief conservators of forests (CCF) AK Saxena and Nandkishore, wildlife expert Kishor Rithe, assistant conservator of forest (ACF) Kishore Mishrikotkar, NHAI project director Naresh Wadetwar and other officials will be part of the team visiting NH-6.

In the 80-km patch between Sirpur and Lakhni, work in three forest patches - Mohghata, Sasakuran and Maramjob - comprising 10km, has been stopped for want of forest clearance. Rest of the four-laning work has already been completed.

The NHAI had on August 17 submitted a report prepared by two ex-wildlife officials, to mitigate damage to wildlife due to the four-laning. On September 3, a meeting of NHAI and forest officials was held in which forest officials expressed reservations on the report.

The NHAI report doesn't comply with suggestions made by CCF Nandkishore, who was appointed by the Centrally Empowered Committee ( CEC) to inspect the four-laning work. Friday's visit seems to be a way for officials to point out their reservations on the four-laning.

Although NHAI is ready to construct eight underpasses of 10 feet height and 20 feet width in every 2km forest patch in vulnerable areas, sources said there is basic defect in the underpasses. Forest officials feel identical underpasses cannot be a solution on all the patches, they should be site-specific.

The WTI has disapproved of the report, claiming that mitigation measures in such important areas needs a group of wildlife biologists, geologists, engineers, architects, wildlife managers and conservationists to evolve specific and acceptable designs for wildlife crossings
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