Controversial Forest Land Diversion for Arunachal Frontier Highway Approved

The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife has approved the diversion of 310 hectares of forest land from Namdapha Tiger Reserve for the Arunachal Frontier Highway. Members raised concerns about wildlife mitigation measures and the felling of trees, while the state government promised improved animal passage plans.

The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife has given the green light to a contentious proposal, diverting 310 hectares of forest land from the core of Namdapha Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh. This decision facilitates the construction of the Arunachal Frontier Highway (NH-913).

Despite the committee's approval, several members highlighted significant issues, notably the inadequate wildlife mitigation measures and the potential felling of over 1.5 lakh trees. The project aims to connect NH-215 near Kharsang to the Miao-Gandhigram-Vijaynagar road, a segment vital to the NH-913 corridor near the India-Myanmar border.

The state government has committed to implementing an improved animal passage plan, with the Wildlife Institute of India conducting research within three months. The clearance also includes using land from two Eco-sensitive Zones and a tiger corridor in Andhra Pradesh for a four-lane highway.

(With inputs from agencies.)