3,200 trees to be felled for Guwahati ring road

By- Rituraj Borthakur

Guwahati, May 18: Some 3,200 trees will be cut down for the construction of the ambitious Guwahati Ring Road, a project that may have serious environmental consequences for the state capital region.

Official sources said that the enumeration of the trees is being done currently along the proposed road at Khanapara, Jorabat, Sonapur, Chandrapur, etc. Around 450 trees are proposed to be felled inside Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary alone.

The proposal is to use 7.12 hectares of forest land in Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary and 44.60 hectares of non-forest land in the eco-sensitive zone of the sanctuary. Around 800 metres of the road would pass inside 50 metres of the sanctuary.

The State Government has told the National Wildlife Board that an animal passage plan has been prepared in consultation with the State Forest Department, scientists of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

The animal passage plan includes two underpasses of over 200 metres in span, one bridge of over 450 metres in span and height of 8 metres, and nine box culverts.

The Standing Committee of the Wildlife Board has directed a comprehensive study by the WII or any other relevant agency to assess the potential impact of the project, particularly on the movement paths of elephants and other mitigation measures.

The committee also said that widening of the existing highway from Basistha to Jorabat section will have to integrate construction of at least a 4-km elevated road from Jorabat towards Sonapur in order to restore the traditional elephant corridor connecting Amchang Sanctuary with Marakdola Reserve Forest and Aprikola Reserve Forest and beyond.

Stating that no adverse impact should be caused to wild animals and their habitat, the board also directed that minimal tree felling should be done in the forest land. The board has also sought a human-elephant conflict mitigation plan and a wildlife conservation plan.

Around 55 km of the proposed road from Baihata Chariali to Sonapur via Kurua will be greenfield and comprise a 3-km-long 6-lane bridge from Kurua to Tintukura (Narengi). In the last couple of years, over 8,000 trees were cut for developmental projects in and around Guwahati, despite concerns and a rising adverse impact on the city’s climate and environment.