Road in Rann: GPCB’s public hearing in Feb, wildlife panel yet to take a call

Although a parallel road exists along the northern reaches of the GRK, along the international border, the BSF and Home Department have supported the proposed road saying it will help in logistics of reinforcements and replenishments and aid the shifting of the sick and injured

The Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) has scheduled a public hearing for a road that will cut through the Great Rann of Kutch (GRK), even as the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL), which has the final authority to show green signal to the project, is yet to take a decision on the matter.

Public hearings are a prerequisite for issuing environment clearance to such projects. The GPCB has scheduled the public hearing for the 255-km Gaduli to Santhalpur highway on February 12 at Bhuj even as the 27th meeting of the NBWL, held in the last week of December 2012, remains undecided over whether it should allow the road.

NBWL's members have unanimously opposed the proposed road on grounds that it will divide the Rann's sea and fresh water mix, adversely affect Flamingo City (the largest breeding ground for India's flamingo population), disturb the endangered wild asses and possibly ruin archaeological remains at Dholavira, an Indus Valley Civilization site.

Proposed by the state's Road and Building Department and supported by the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Home Department, the road will cut through the Great Rann of Kutch from a point east of Khavda in the Banni Grasslands, not far from Kala Dungar, and extend till Khadir Bet (island), where Dholavira sits.

It will then move eastward through the island and move towards Bella, then cut the

Rann again to reach Santhalpur, on the north-western tip of the Little Rann of Kutch (LRK). In all, more than 79 hectares of land within the Kutch

... contd.

ALSO READ

Modi addresses farmers, blames Centre for delay in Narmada gates

Astronomy buffs geared up for meteor shower

Narendra Modi dials Lalu, enquires about health after car accident

'Top cop Pandey, now on run, plotted Ishrat encounter with IB man'