PANJIM: All eyes are on the Supreme Court, which on Monday, will pronounce its judgment on the Central Empowered Committee’s (CEC) recommendation on double tracking of South Western Railway line from Tinai Ghat to Vasco.
The CEC in its report to the Supreme Court has recommended the cancellation of the entire segment of the South Western Railway doubling from Tinai Ghat to Vasco, which was granted approval by the National Board of Wildlife’s (NBWL) standing committee.
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“CEC does not find any justification for undertaking a project of this nature which will destroy the fragile eco-system of the Western Ghats which is an internationally recognised biodiversity hotspot and also one of the most important wildlife corridors of the country,” reads CEC report, which was submitted to the Registrar of the SC on April 23.
CEC also pointed out that the “increased number of trains and wider openings through the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats for laying the track will further fragment the habitat and will make the movement of wildlife, including arboreal animals across the railway line, much more difficult and dangerous and is bound to result in thigh casualties among the wildlife”.
The Supreme Court is hearing the Public Interest Litigation challenging the permissions granted to three liner projects-railway double tracking, Tamnar power project and widening of national highway- which cut through the Mollem Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park.
On April 8, the Apex Court had accepted CEC’s recommendation that the Tamnar 440KV power line be set up along the alignment of the existing power line so that fresh forest areas are not disturbed.
