Hubli-Ankola railway line in a limbo
TNN 29 December 2009, 10:27pm IST
HUBLI: The state government will have to provide a very strong argument in favour of building the Hubli-Ankola railway link if it wants the Union forest ministry to clear the project, a senior forest officer said here on Monday.
Dr P B Gangopadhyaya, additional director general of forests, who headed a team that inspected forest areas meant to be cleared for building the railway line, told MP Prahlad Joshi that the forest ministry was open-minded about the project.
"All these years, it has been straight and simple. The project was not cleared as it would damage trees and wildlife in one of the most pristine ecosystems in the country," Gangopadhyaya said.
According to him, the state government and the railways' only argument was that it would help carry iron ore to the Tadadi, Bilikere and Karwar ports. But this was not convincing as market fluctuations can push down the demand for ore in international markets.
"However, if the state government makes other, stronger arguments like it'll help developing backward areas in the state, then the ministry of environment and forests and the Supreme Court centrally empowered committee that are looking into the issue would take a balanced view of the issue, he said.
He welcomed Joshi's idea that building a railway line and diverting traffic and freight transport on to the line would cause less environment damage than doubling national highways in Karwar district. He asked state government and railway officials to record these facts in an affidavit before the apex court and back them by supporting documents.
The project was planned a decade ago. However, it was rejected by the forest ministry four times in the past. Later in 2007, environmentalists challenged the project, saying it would destroy large-green patches in the western ghats, one of the bio-diversity hotspots in the world.
The SC has now referred the matter to a centrally-empowered committee. The CEC is supposed to inspect the project very soon.
