Hubballi-Ankola rail line: Wildlife board can get necessary approvals, says HC

The High Court of Karnataka on Wednesday said that the National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) can get necessary approvals from the National Tiger Conservation Authority and other requirements under the law for the Hubballi-Ankola broad-gauge railway line project. A division bench headed by Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi has directed the central board to submit the report by the next date of hearing.

The court is hearing a batch of PILs filed by Bengaluru-based Project Vruksha Foundation and others. The contentions were with regard to the viability of the project and its effect on the wildlife. The petitioners contended that the project concerns diversion of 595.64 hectares of forest land in Karwar, Yellapur and Dharwad division for the construction of the broad gauge line.

During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General M B Nargund submitted that no further step with regard to the project could be taken in view of the interim order issued on June 18, 2021. He further said that no action has been taken pursuant to the order passed by the court on December 1, 2021. The court on December 1, 2021, had directed the National Board for Wildlife to carry out a survey over the area to make an assessment of the effect of the project in the forest area and submit a report.

“It is hereby provided that the National Board of Wildlife shall get necessary approvals, if required, from the National Tiger Conservation Authority and under the Forest Conservation Act and thereafter take an appropriate decision in terms of the court’s order dated December 1, 2021. The earlier order dated June 18, 2020, shall not come in the way of respondents in taking such a decision. The decision taken shall be placed before the court on the next date,” the bench said.

‘2.2L trees may face the axe’

It was contended by the petitioners that the Karnataka State Board for Wildlife had retracted from its earlier decision, on March 9, 2020, and recommended to the National Wildlife Board for the implementation of the project in the next meeting held on March 20, 2020. According to the petitioners the project falls within the Kali Tiger reserve or Anshi-Dandeli Tiger Reserve, an eco-sensitive zone in the Western Ghats, and an estimated 2.2 lakh trees may have to be cut to make way for the project.

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