No Central nod for railway track doubling, NH four-laning through sanctuary: CM

Team Herald

PORVORIM: Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant on Monday informed the House that the Central government has not granted approval for doubling of railway track and four-laning of the national highway passing through the Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary and the Mollem National Park. 

Sawant, however, said that the project is of nationally-important infrastructure which envisages improvement in connectivity for socio-economic development of the people.

In two separate questions tabled by Leader of the Opposition Digambar Kamat and MLA Alina Saldanha, the Chief Minister said that the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change has granted Stage-I (in-principle) approval under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 for diversion of 97.75 ha of forest land for the three project proposals for transmission line submitted by Goa Tamnar Transmission Project Ltd.

“No approval has been granted under the Forest (Conservation) Act-1980 for doubling of railway track & four laning of National Highway involving an area of 48.30 ha,” he said. Sawant said the three projects are proposed to come up in protected areas. 

He informed the House that the South Western Railway through Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd, has submitted a proposal for diversion of 138.39 ha of forest land under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 for railway doubling tracks from Castlerock to Kulem and Kulem to Margao. Out of this 128.294 ha falls in Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary.

The Public Work Department has submitted proposals for diversion of 93.451 ha of forest land for four laning of National Highways NH-4A and NH-17. Out of this 31.015 ha falls in sanctuary & national park, and Goa Tamnar Transmission Project Ltd has submitted proposals for diversion of 146.05 ha of forest land for erection of 220 KV to 400 KV transmission line in Xeldem. Out of this 11.54 ha falls within the sanctuary. 

“All three projects pass through Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary & National Park except widening of road NH-17 which involves reserved forest,” he said.

The Chief Minister also said that the government has granted permission for felling of trees only in the non-forested areas for the project which includes 16,110 trees.