Bawanthadi irri project likely to have crossovers for wildlife

Story/Place-Nagpur

Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN, Apr 25, 2011
NAGPUR: In bid to suggest mitigative measures for damage to wildlife after the construction of Rajiv Sagar (Bawanthadi) major irrigation project, a team of two forest officials will tour the area on Wednesday.

The decision was taken on Wednesday at a meeting called by Krishna Mohan, chief conservator of forests (CCF), Nagpur Territorial. Forest and irrigation department officials too were present.


The dam site is near Kudwa village in Katangi in Balaghat (MP) and Sitekasa village of Tumsar in Bhandara district (Maharashtra). The Bawanthadi project will help irrigate 18,615 hectare land in Balaghat district and 17,537 hectares in Bhandara district.

Over 828.469 hectares of additional forest land in Maharashtra and 473.310 hectare forest land in MP is being diverted for the Bawanthadi project. The ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) in 2008-09 had in-principle granted environment clearance under the Forest Conservation Act (FCA) 1980.

Last week the MoEF issued a letter to the state government asking it to fulfill 18 conditions. One of the conditions is that the irrigation department has to ensure that there shall be no damage to wildlife in the area and it should help the state forest department in promotion of wildlife conservation at its cost as advised by the forest department.

Accordingly, the meeting between irrigation and forest officials was held on April 20. It has been decided to depute GK Vashisht, assistant conservator of forests (ACF), Pench, and ACF A W Nimje from Bhandara.

Bawanthadi forest is connected to Pench and Nagzira tiger sanctuaries. It spreads towards the west upto national highway 7 and joins Mansingdeo Wildlife Sanctuary too.

The irrigation department is under pressure for early completion of the project. They have constructed many deep canals which fall in the path of wildlife crossing.

"We will visit the Bawanthadi site and suggest design and specifications for crossovers for wild animals. We will also inspect the existing ducts constructed for passing of animals and submit a report in May," said Vashisht.

The issue assumes significance as big irrigation projects like Gosikhurd and Bawanthadi will choke wildlife corridors spelling doom for tigers. No mitigation measures were taken while constructing Gosikhurd irrigation project, which connects Navegaon National Park and Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR). It has resulted in numerous wild life deaths.

"Failure of irrigation department in taking mitigative measures while constructing Gosikhurd has choked the tiger corridor from Tadoba. This is resulting in deaths of scheduled animals including sambar, deer, bisons and of late a leopard," alleged Kundan Hate, working for saving wildlife.

source-timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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