Times of India: Nagpur: Monday, December 28, 2015.
The battle
against road widening of 37km patch on NH-7 between Mansar and Khawasa brings
to mind a quote by renowned German field biologist Dr George Schaller, who
said, "Conservation has no victories, but conservation is my life, I must
retain hope ..."
The issue has
seen as many upheavals since 2007 as the number of potholes on the incomplete
stretch till Rukhad in MP till just over an year back. The story of this
corridor between six tiger reserves saw a decisive twist in early 2015, soon
after Nitin Gadkari took over as union road transport & highways minister
in 2014.
The matter
was before Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court, which had taken suo motu
cognisance of a TOI report in September 2013 regarding bad road conditions and
NHAI's failure to maintain it. Since it was as much a wildlife protection issue
as a legal issue, I reported exactly who said what in the courtroom, instead of
only the orders.
NHAI's
adamant stand on 50-metre-long underpasses was always evident. In the corridor,
the NHAI project director once said, "Why should we construct wildlife
underpasses. It's forest department requirement and they should do it."
Fuming green activists would say in hushed tones, "So why take forest land
if mitigation is not NHAI's baby." Forest officials too admitted outside
the courtroom the tremendous pressure on them.
The court
wanted mitigation measures taken on NH-6 (Bhandara-Deori) by NHAI to be
replicated on NH-7. However, lawyers and the amicus curie failed to inform the
court that no mitigation steps were taken on NH-6. On one frustrating occasion,
I had it in mind to stand up and tell the packed courtroom that NHAI was lying
on mitigation measures on NH-6. A green activist stopped me.
When the
court asked departments of highways, environment and the state government to
find an amicable solution, Gadkari, who is targeting 30km highways built per
day, called a meeting in Pune on February 13. The meet was also attended by
chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Prakash Javadekar. Sources said the
meeting started with a couple of forest officials being threatened with
suspension "for stalling NH-7 work". "After that, no official
dared to speak. The WII mitigation plan was termed impractical and 50-metre
underpasses were approved," sources said.
Even as other
sources too confirmed the development, Gadkari remained unavailable to those
asking uncomfortable questions.
The miffed
greens challenged the HC order to allow tree felling on NH-7 in NGT through NGO
Srushti. Now, the forest department was caught between the devil and deep sea.
It tried to please the NGT on one hand while fearing HC contempt. TOI reports
also upset the court, which felt it was being dubbed a villain.
Then, RTI information
exposed how minutes of Pune meeting were changed on Javadekar's insistence. He
also met a top conservationist to pave the way for mitigation measures, but
refused to meet members of NGO Srushti. The tug-of-war between greens and NHAI
had soon created a constitutional crisis between HC and NGT. Then, when the
greens were discussing strategy at a chai tapri, a top state bureaucrat called
and requested one of the activists to withdraw the petition from NGT.
Not one to
give up, the greens went all out to win the battle. Anti-NHAI posters were also
flashed at Vasantrao Deshpande Hall, where Justice BR Gavai was present at the
conclusion of wildlife week celebrations. The head of one of the top NGOs even
convinced the CM, when he got an opportunity to fly with him, by showing
corridor maps. Convinced, the CM promised to do the needful.
Soon
afterwards, principal secretary to CM Praveen Pardeshi called a high-level
secret meeting on a Sunday in August, to keep media away. I was the only one to
reach the spot, sending forest officials into a tizzy.
We soon got
some good news. NHAI agreed to construct two 750-metre, one 300-metre and six
50-60 metre underpasses on NH-7 and three 750-metre underpasses on NH-6. The
same evening, a WII scientist, who planned mitigation measures, was taken to
Gadkari's house by Pardeshi, where members of petitioner Srushti were also
summoned. Though Srushti members were angry with WII for curtailing mitigation
measures thrice, the government claimed victory.
However, over
23,000 trees had been felled and the legal battle continues in the HC and SC.
The greens are hoping against hope. However, a drive down the disputed stretch
on NH-7 last week gave me no hope for wild animals.
The road
under construction is too wide for any animal to cross safely. Even if it
crosses one lane, it would be hit in another lane. Conservation has a really
long way to go, and needs strong political will.
(Vijay
Pinjarkar goes wild at the mention of wild animals. He also writes on railways
and ST buses.)
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