Kaziranga: NGT slams Assam for animal deaths on national highway

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal on Wednesday pulled up the Assam government over “ruthless killing” of several species of animals by allowing heavy traffic movement on a stretch of National Highway 37 passing through the famed Kaziranga sanctuary. Anguished by pictures of animals killed by vehicles on the highway, a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar warned the state government that if it does not come up with a “decent and effective proposal” to address the issue, the tribunal will stop all vehicular movement on the stretch of NH 37 which passes through the national park.  "Pictures shown to us show the ruthless killing of exceptional species of animals by heavy traffic movement of trucks, etc. How can you be so cruel? How can you do this to such beautiful animals? How can you be so inhuman? You are killing them… “If on next date of hearing you do not come with a decent and effective proposal, we will stop all traffic on the NH. Everybody here understands prohibition, but no one understands regulation,” the bench said and directed Principal Secretary of Environment and Forests of the state government as well as the Chief Engineer of the public works department to appear before it on the next date of hearing, October 29. The NGT also directed presence of the CEO of Numaligarh Refinery Ltd, located near the national park, saying “half the problem you are causing because of the heavy trucks moving to and fro from your unit”. In the interim, the tribunal has directed that the NH stretch through the national park will not be widened and no work will done on the shoulders (sides) of the road. The tribunal was also of the prima facie opinion that traffic movement on NH 37 stretch passing through Kaziranga, is not only in violation of the environment ministry’s conditions -stipulated while granting permission for the road - but also of environmental and wildlife norms. “You have breached Ministry of Environment and Forests conditions. You did not have the sense to build barriers on the road sides. You could have regulated the speed of vehicles by putting barriers to slow them down. You could have stopped traffic movement at night. You have done nothing,” the bench said. The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by Rohit Choudhury opposing expansion of the NH 37 stretch running through the national park on the ground that it would lead to the death of wild animals. During the proceedings, Choudhury’s counsel Ritwick Dutta informed the bench that the state is undertaking road widening work along the NH 37 stretch running through the national park and showed pictures of the construction as well as the animals killed due to vehicular movement along the highway. Dutta also contended that the state was supposed to divert, back in 1991, all traffic moving through the national park, but till date it has taken no action. The contentions were denied by the Assam government’s counsel who explained that only “shouldering” and maintenance work is being done on the sides of the highway which has been damaged in the recent monsoons. The bench, however, was not satisfied with the response of the state and refused to consider its explanation, saying “You don’t need to explain. These pictures do the explaining.” The bench also queried why till date the state did not make a bypass road to divert the traffic to which the counsel for the state had no response. In his petition, Choudhury has opposed widening of that portion of the highway which is passing through the sanctuary, saying “continued unregulated use of NH 37 is resulting in death of wild animals and reptiles in large numbers in road accidents” and its expansion will further aggravate the situation. He has contended that a large number of wild animals get killed and injured in road accidents when they move towards the Mikir Hills adjoining the park to seek refuge from annual floods due to the monsoons. He has also alleged violation of environmental clearance given to Numaligarh Refinery, which was granted subject to strict compliance of various conditions one of which related to denotification of the stretch of NH-37 passing through the park and diversion of the highway away from the sanctuary. The petition has said the condition for diversion of NH 37 and its subsequent denotification was incorporated in the EC by taking into account the fact that increased traffic movement and congestion will take place in the area due to setting up of the Numaligarh refinery. PTI