MARAGO: The Standing Committee of the National Board of Wildlife (NBWL), took two decisions which are likely to delay the early commissioning of 400 KV DC quad transmission line, Bhagwan Mahaveer Mollem Wildlife Sanctuary (BMWLS). 27.092 ha of forest land will be used for this.
The decisions taken were to establish a new committee which would carry out a site inspection and suggest a mitigation and management plan for the transmission line.
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After discussions, the Standing Committee decided to constitute a committee comprising representatives of the Ministry (MoEFCC), National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Goa Forest Department and Goa Tamnar Transmission Power Limited (GTTPL) for site inspection and suggesting mitigation measures and management plan for area below the proposed transmission line and therefore decided to defer the proposal,” said the Standing Committee at the end of the meeting.
Interestingly Goa had recently projected that the Tamnar project in Goa would be commissioned at the earliest and pitched how Goa would benefit from this interstate transmission system project that covers Goa and Karnataka. The government’s projections aren’t going to be anywhere near the actual ground reality.
Importantly, in future, only those project proposals accompanied with a management plan for the area below transmission lines would be placed before the Standing Committee,”
Claude Alvares, the Director of Goa Foundation, which is the petitioner in the SC case, said, “It was cleared by the Goa State Wildlife Advisory Board a few months ago, and the file was sent to NBWL for its approval all over again.”
“The NBWL has rightly decided that there is a need to look at what will happen under the transmission lines, and to ensure the natural environment is maintained through low-height trees and grasses, so that animals can move without anxiety under the conductors,” Alvares added.
This matter came up on February 22, 2024, at the 78th meeting of the NBWL’s Standing Committee. This decision of deferring the proposal was taken after a NBWL member Dr H S Singh suggested that any proposal of transmission line of more than 10 ha must be accompanied with a management plan for the area below the transmission line.
“The area may be planted with suitable grasses or low-height trees, shrubs etc. for the benefit of wildlife,” said Dr Singh.
Abhijit Prabhudesai of Rainbow Warriors highlighted a crucial paradigm on the issue by saying that environmental mitigation and destruction cannot be seen in geographical silos. The destruction in Karnataka cannot be ignored.
“Wildlife has no borders and it is important that when the NBWL makes a decision, they look at the route passing through the combined wildlife area of Goa and Karnataka together,” he said.
He also questioned the need for such a project in Goa and said the existing infrastructure is capable of serving the needs of the local population for the next 20-30 years and if the project indirectly aims at bringing steel plants, which will also have harmful effects on the environment.
He added that the wildlife has no borders and it is important that when the NBWL makes a decision, they look at the route passing through the combined wildlife area of Goa and Karnataka together.
Questions and Answers key to understanding the Tamnar Project future approval story Why does the Tamnar project need fresh approvals?
The original proposal to conduct the 400 kV HTL from Narendra to Xeldem through the virgin part of the Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary was shot down by the Supreme Court on the recommendation of the Central Empowered Committee (CEC). This meant the Tamnar project did not have any approval from the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL). As a result, Tamnar had to once again go through the entire gamut of fresh approvals.
What impact will the creation of the Standing Committee have on the pace of the project?
The setting up of a committee will ensure some additional recommendations, but will also further delay Tamnar installation since work cannot start unless the Goa segment is completed first and until NBWL approval is also obtained.
What are the critical points that need to be scrutinised?
“The route for the transmission line on the Karnataka side will end up in destroying virgin pristine forest & tiger area that has never been touched. This has been ignored & only the Goa part is being looked at. The CEC looked at this and it reflected in the SC orders,” said Abhijit Prabhudesai of Rainbow Warriors.
What is the key decision taken for future power projects through forests?
No power transmission proposal will be approved without a management plan for the forested area below.
