Wildlife in Jewar vulnerable, need their smooth shifting: Forest department

NOIDA: The forest office of Gautam Budh Nagar has written to Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA), asking it to be sensitive towards the wildlife present at the site earmarked for the Jewar airport project. Though there is no official figure, environmentalists say the area is a habitat for animals like blackbucks, nilgai and peacocks.




The forest department claims that physically relocating the animals is not an option but YEIDA has to take care to ensure smooth migration of the animals from the project site to other areas during construction of the airport at Jewar.

“Physically shifting of animals to another place is not possible because species like blackbucks are so delicate they may just die in the process. However, we think that the animals would migrate to other areas in the vicinity in search of food and safety once the airport project work starts,” PK Srivastava, district forest officer (DFO), Gautam Budh Nagar, told TOI.

“Our letter to YEIDA intends to raise awareness among officials about the presence of wildlife in the area so as to ensure they are not affected by the development work even as they seek a new habitat,” he added.

Environmentalists say there are multiple issues that needs attention at the time of development of the Jewar airport. “Jewar has already been identified as a critical zone when it comes to groundwater, so there should be no strain on the same at the time of construction. Also trees for the project should not be felled in one go,” said environmentalist Vikrant Tongad.

“All pollution control norms will be followed as per the book at the upcoming airport site. Water usage, air quality, disposal of waste everything would be monitored. We have already started working on a mitigation plan,” said Ashok Kumar Tiwari, regional officer of Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB).