Nagpur: In a big blow to those violating wildlife and environment protection laws around Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, the Nagpur bench of Bombay high court on Wednesday issued notices to 16 respondents, including NTCA, MoEFCC, Telangana state, and others.
A division bench of justices BP Dharmadhikari and MG Giradkar issued notices on a PIL by agriculturist and social worker Wasudeo Laxmanrao Vidhate (47) of Zari in Yavatmal district. The PIL makes specific mention of TOI reports published after spot visits in May and June. The PIL has been tagged with two more petitions being heard against shooting of problem tigers in Pandharkawda.
The petitioner, through counsels Avinash Kapgate and Vandan Gadkari, has submitted that mining, highways, resorts, and a barrage constructed without valid permissions in the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of 148 sqkm Tipeshwar threaten the tiger corridor to Tadoba-Andhari in Maharashtra, and Kawal tiger reserve in Telangana.
The PIL has urged a stop to all illegal mining, construction of resorts close to the park, and action against officials not acting against violators.
The petitioner has alleged there are four stone quarries at Kopamandvi, 400 metres from the sanctuary. These are operating even during night, blasting and extracting stone material, and damaging the ecosystem.
The PIL also submitted that commercial resorts have started huge construction activities for which over 1,000 trees were felled illegally. Besides, the inter-state Channaka-Korata Barrage work involving Maharashtra and Telangana states, 3.5km from Tipeshwar, has started without Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
Importantly, no permission from National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has been taken, which is mandatory since the barrage project is an inter-state project. On the other hand, NHAI is four-laning NH-44 (earlier NH-7) passing through Tipeshwar ESZ. No EIA has been done nor any mitigation measures, like underpasses, have been constructed.
“Even as highway widening is close to Tipeshwar boundary, no NBWL permission has been taken. Because of all these infrastructure projects, all tiger corridors will be blocked increasing man-animal conflict. Already 15 people have died in tiger attacks in Tipeshwar landscape,” says the PIL.
The PIL demanded directions to the respondents to stop illegal stone quarrying, crushers, mining activities within 1km of Tipeshwar, or in the area of adverse impact, whichever is larger.
It has also demanded stop to illegal construction of resorts at Sunna gate and at Marathwakadi in ESZ. Action should be taken against officers and persons concerned for allowing laws to be violated. It says government officials as well as private parties should be held responsible for starting work on the Channaka-Korata inter-state barrage without any EIA.
NHAI should also not be allowed to proceed with work till NBWL permission is sought, and mitigation measures are taken. It has also been requested to appoint Neeri to assess environment damage caused by all these projects.
The respondents have also been directed to complete mapping and digitization of corridors for identifying threats, and enlist remedial measures to neutralize these threats. The court has been urged to direct respondent project proponents to stop work.
