NEW DELHI: An professional panel of the Union Ministry of Setting, Forests and Local weather Change (MoEFCC) has ordered a cost-benefit evaluation of a 7.74 km lengthy bridge proposed to be constructed at a value of ₹526 crore over the eco-sensitive Chilika Lake.
Chilika lake, the most important brackish water lake in India which is unfold throughout the districts of Puri, Khurda and Ganjam in Odisha is a crucial wetland of the nation. (HT File Picture)
The bridge is a part of the Bharatmala undertaking of the Nationwide Freeway Authority of India (NHAI).
Chilika Lake is thought for its endangered Irrawady Dolphins in addition to thousands and thousands of migratory birds that flock the brackish water lagoon each winter.
The Knowledgeable Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the ministry in its order final week mentioned a cost-benefit evaluation (CBA) must be accomplished for a comparability of influence of building of the bridge and that of present boat motion within the lake.
The advice for a CBA got here after the chief government officer of State-run Chilika Growth Authority and Puri district collector knowledgeable the Ministry that fishing boats used for livelihood and tourism are the one connection for the 5 villages within the lake however pose a critical environmental risk.
The proposed undertaking underneath the Bharatmala Pariyojana, an formidable street community scheme, goals to attach nationwide highways 516A and 316 via Chilika Lake. The proposed undertaking, as deliberate by the NHAI, begins from NH-316 close to Satpada connecting Berhampura, Janhikuda, Khairasahi, Patanasi and Golpur villages and terminates on NH-516A in Krushnaprashad block of Puri.
The undertaking will present final mile connectivity between Janhikuda and Satpada, lowering the street size to solely 5.5 km as in comparison with the current size of 238 km via NH-16, NH-316A and NH-516A. The gap between Berhampur city and Puri might be lowered by 135 km as soon as the bridge materialises.
Because the undertaking will move via at a distance of round 8 km from Nalabana (Chilika) wildlife sanctuary and round 3.4 km of it’s going to fall within the draft 10 km Eco Delicate Zone boundary, the ministry despatched a subcommittee of the EAC final week to go to the lake to make an extra evaluation earlier than environmental clearance is given.
The stretch will even move via Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ)-I (B).
The ministry additionally sought clarification from NHAI for the need of setting up the bridge undertaking.
Chilika lake, the most important brackish water lake in India which is unfold throughout the districts of Puri, Khurda and Ganjam in Odisha is a crucial wetland of the nation.
A survey of the fauna at Chilika by the Zoological Survey of India in 1985-87 recorded over 800 species in and across the lagoon. The listing contains a lot of uncommon, threatened and endangered species together with the Barakudia limbless skink. It is among the hotspots of biodiversity within the nation, and a few uncommon, susceptible and endangered species listed within the IUCN Crimson Listing of threatened Animals inhabit the Lake space for at the least part of their life cycle.
On account of its wealthy bio-diversity, Chilika Lake was designated as a “Ramsar Site”, i.e. a wetland of Worldwide Significance.
Opposing the undertaking, a number of activists have mentioned {that a} huge public motion would quickly begin if the proposal was not dropped.
“The construction of this bridge will destroy the natural environment and biodiversity of Chilika and will have a profound impact on the livelihood of the local residents. The proposed bridge will pose a threat to Chilika. The construction materials used for this will pollute Chilika during the construction of the bridge. After the construction of the bridge, thousands of vehicles will pass on the bridge which will have a negative impact on the environment of Chilika. The movement of fish, dolphins, etc. will be hampered. Chilika is gradually silting up and the flow of water over the bridge will block the water. Building the proposed bridge over Chilika would sound the death knell of the lake,” mentioned Sudarshan Das, an activist.