After stopping Bander, greens target airport in Chanda tiger corridor

NAGPUR: After successfully blocking auction of Bander coal blocks in the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), the greens have trained their guns on greenfield airport coming up in Vihirgaon and Murti villages on Tadoba-Kawal tiger reserve corridor. The airport is in Rajura tehsil of Chandrapur district.
The Rs 30-crore project was conceived by former forest minister Sudhir Mungantiwar in 2018.It needs 75.24 hectares forest land of which 47.41 hectares is reserve forest and 27.830 hectares protected forest in Central Chanda division. In all, 3,817 trees will be felled for the project. The project needs over 300 hectares land.
Chandrapur chief conservator of forests (CCF) SV Ramarao, though having recommended the project in March 2020, stated in his remarks that compartment numbers 173, 200, and 593 fell in functional tiger corridor between Tadoba and Kawal as per the Eastern Vidarbha Landscape (EVL) report on corridors by Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun. The inspection report also stated that the airport site was used by tigers, leopards, sloth bears, and herbivores were also found in the area.
WII observed the site was within critical wildlife habitat and connected corridors and therefore it should not be considered for the airport. It suggested mitigation measures in case user agency Maharashtra Airport Development Corporation (MADC) goes ahead with the project.
“Currently, MADC has been asked to comment on WII recommendations on mitigation steps. MADC, which plans to give private land in Ratnagiri for compensatory afforestation, has also not submitted details about it and undertaking from the owner. We have asked the CCF to seek comments from user agency,” said forest sources.
MADC’s Mumbai-based consultant, who did not wish to be quoted, said, “Our agency’s job is to get Stage I & II permission on forest land diversion. MADC will comment on mitigation steps. As per my knowledge the proposed site is not a tiger bearing area.”
However, senior wildlife officers said, “With 200 tigers in Chandrapur district alone, and the way big cats were crying for space, even 75 hectares forest mattered, especially when it is corridor. One of the mitigation steps includes 4km compound wall, which would actually mean blocking the corridor. Besides, ancillary activities after the airport is in place will be detrimental for wildlife.”
“CCF should have rejected the project outright. The user agency is creating fait accompli situation by going ahead with land acquisition process. If tomorrow someone goes to court or the agency doesn’t get forest and wildlife clearances then money spent on land acquisition will go waste,” said Suresh Chopne, president of Green Planet Society and member of Regional Environment Committee (REC).
Wildlife conservationist Kishor Rithe, who was on committee to grant clearance to New Mumbai airport, said, “The location in Vihirgaon-Murti is risky. Most accidents during landing and take-off occur due to presence of deer family. Even leopards and tigers can enter the premises. Besides, the compound wall will stop free movement of wild animals. It will be dangerous to set up a airport near an area surrounded by forests.”
Eco-Pro president Bandu Dhotre says, “I suspect that the former BJP government perhaps stalled Kanhargaon sanctuary proposal to pave way for airport. The proposed sanctuary has been cleared by state wildlife board and is 3km away from the airport site. There is already man-animal conflict in the proposed airport area. MADC should drop the proposal and develop existing airport at Morwa, 10km from Chandrapur.”
However, MADC officials said, “Morwa site has been rejected by DGCA-AAI team in 2016-17 as it falls in the funnel area of two power plants whose chimneys are an obstruction.”