Telangana: New airport planned in Kinnersani wildlife sanctuary, seriously!

Hyderabad: The Kothagudem airport is facing hurdles as the proposed airport site falls in the Kinnersani wildlife sanctuary and the Punukuduchelka reserve forest and is unlikely to get clearances as the stringent process involves the Supreme Court, the Central Empowered Committee, the Central Board for Wild Life, the Union forests and environment ministry  and the State Wildlife Board.

The sanctuary, which now falls in the Bhadradri-Kothagudem district, is a known habitat of leopards, sambars, spotted deer and gaur. It used to have tigers. Though the Union civil aviation ministry in September last week had given site clearance for the Telangana State  Indu-strial Infrastructure Cor-poration project, the airport can be constructed only if it get all the clearances.

An environment consultant with Greencindia Consulting Private Limited of Ghaziabad, the project consultant for the TS Industrial Infrastructure Corpo-ration, said, “We came to know that the site falls in the sanctuary only a month ago. We have informed the ministry of environment. It is up to the ministry to take a call."

Asked about the chances of getting clearances, the consultant said, “Usually no clearances are granted in a wildlife sanctuary. The diversion of any part of a notified protected area may be considered only under the most exceptional circumstances taking full into account all consequences. For the Kothagudem airport project, the chances are bleak. We have informed this to the project proponent TSIIC."

Of the total 63,000 hecta-res of the sanctuary, aro-und 825 acres is proposed for diversion or denotification to build the airport. Kothagudem district forest officer C. Saravanan said, “The user agency has to obtain clearances as the airport falls in the sanctuary. Once we receive the proposals we will send our remarks.”

He said that the state government can denotify land if it is within five hectares. From 5 to 50 hectares, it has to be cleared by the regional office at Chennai. “All projects above 40 hectares have to be cleared by the Union ministry of environment and forests. The Central empowered committee and the Supreme Court have to decide on it as well, Mr Saravanan said.

When asked about the wildlife, he said, “Panthers (leopards) are not sighted regularly but show their presence now and then. Small mammals and herbivores and gaur are spotted in the sanctuary,"

The Kothagudem revenue divisional officer in his report on July 22, 2016, had said," The proposed airport at Punu-kudchelaka village of Kothagudem mandal falls under the Kinnerasani wildlife sanctuary. The area in which the airport is to be set up in Survey No. 13 which consists of 3,387.21 hectares of government land was notified in 1977 and 1999 under the Kinnerasani wildlife sanctuary under Section 18 of Wild Life Act.’’

The consutancy agency RITES had surveyed the area initially and gave a feasibility report for setting up a greenfield airport and stated the area required as 825 acres including access roads. Out of the total area, around 30 hectares has been cultivated by tribals for whom RoFR pattas were sanctioned in 2009.

Punukuduchelaka has a population of 671 of the ST-Koya community. The report said that 800 acres of government land had been identified for compensatory afforestation in Gundala, Aswaraopet, Julurupad and Pinapaka mandals.
According to Telangana forest department chief wildlife warden P.K. Jha, “We haven’t received any proposal for the Kothagudem project.”

As per the guidance document for taking up non-forestry activities in wildlife habitats, the environment, forest, National Board for Wild Life clearances will all be processed on their merits, and clearance of one aspect will not confer any right upon the project proponent.