Jairam Ministry blocking key road projects,Kamal Nath writes to PM

Despite calls and text messages,Ramesh was unavailable for comment.

In his letter to the PM,Nath has given details of road projects waiting for approvals from the Environment Ministry which has claimed that these projects are detrimental to wildlife and forest cover.

Sources said Kamal Nath’s letter mentions three projects in Maharashtra and at least four in Assam among others. These include the stretch on National Highway 7 that passes through the Pench National Park in Madhya Pradesh — near Kamal Nath’s constituency of Chhindwara.

This stretch on NH-7 — connecting Jabalpur to Nagpur — is proposed to be widened but the Environment Ministry has been against it because it would entail cutting of trees in a dense forest.

In his letter,Nath is said to have suggested that in cases where there was no need for land acquisition,clearances should be given within 30 days. In other cases,approvals should not take more than two months,he is said to have suggested. The Prime Minister,on his part,is learnt to have forwarded the letter to Ramesh for his ministry’s comments.

Sources said Ramesh has already discussed the matter with the Prime Minister. The results of these discussions,however,are not known. Ramesh has also had several rounds of discussions with various state governments over the issue of construction of roads in ecologically sensitive areas.