Nagpur: The Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, and National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) have finally submitted a fresh report on wildlife mitigation measures to be taken between Mansar and Khawasa on NH-7 and, Sakoli and Deori on NH-6. Earlier, the WII report on mitigation measures submitted in 2012 for both the highways was rejected by the NHAI owing to cost concerns.

According to reliable forest sources, a copy of the 100-page report was submitted to the ministry of environment, forests and climate change (MoEFCC) and principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) office on Saturday.

The decision to resurvey for fresh mitigation measures was taken in a meeting on February 13 in Pune amid controversy over poor mitigation measures by NHAI. The meeting was attended by highways & transport minister Nitin Gadkari, union environment minister Prakash Javadekar and state chief minister Devendra Fadnavis among senior officials.

According to sources, the fresh WII-NTCA report has taken into consideration connectivity of all the tiger reserves in the Central Indian landscape that will be splintered due to the NH-7 & NH-6.

The report also talks about mitigation measures on alternative route via Saoner-Chhindwara to Seoni. It also highlights the need for mitigation measures on NH-6 Chhattigarh section which is already completed by NHAI.

Sources said the new plan has further brought down two one-km-long structures to 750 metres with 50 metres guide walls and 300 metres approach road. The height of the underpasses has been kept at 4.5-5 metres.

In the fresh report, WII has identified 25-30 wildlife species. The present mitigation measures are based on identification of crossing zones carried by looking at signs and sightings of the animals across the forest stretches.

"The new plan will further reduce NHAI construction cost by Rs50 crore in Maharashtra section alone," highly placed sources in MoEFCC said.

However, NHAI plans to construct only three 50-metre underpasses with guide walls at three locations. This will cost NHAI Rs122 crore. However, experts say NHAI's actual mitigation cost comes to Rs32 crore only as Rs90 crore cost was already to be implemented by the NHAI. Further details of WII-NTCA report are awaited.

The principle bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) in Delhi has already stayed NH-7 road widening and has kept the matter for hearing on July 3.

As reported by TOI, minutes of the Pune meeting were influenced by the ministers who had asked the WII to re-suggest mitigation measures by providing exact locations used by wildlife, and also asked that it should include three-four 50-metre-long underpasses, so that mitigation measures are cost-effective.

However, the 50-metre underpasses suggested by NHAI are still not acceptable to the WII. "Nowhere in the country has such absurd wildlife mitigation measures been taken up in sensitive areas. On NH-72 passing through Rajaji National Park in Uttaranchal, underpasses have been 400 to 750 metres long," sources said.

Amid pressure from highways ministry, a committee consisting of forest officials, WII and NHAI officials had revised the mitigation measures in February 2015.

The committee reduced height of underpasses from 7 metres to 4.5 metres and two-km-long structure to one-km, thus reducing the NHAI-calculated cost of Rs750 crore to Rs334.84 crore. However, even the reduced cost was not acceptable to the NHAI.

SOME DETAILS OF THE PLAN

UNDERPASSES FOR ANIMALS

New Plan: The WII-NTCA has brought down length of two underpasses to 750 metres. These underpasses will have 300 metre approach road and 50 metre guide walls

Old Plan: These passes were 1-km-long and guide walls were of same length

WILDLIFE SPECIES

New Plan: The underpasses have been considered looking into the prey-predator ratio. WII-NTCA has identified 25-30 wildlife species based on identification of crossing zones carried by looking at signs and sightings of the animals across the forest stretches

Old Plan: It was considered for corridor for large mammals like tigers, leopards, bisons, sambars and chitals

HEIGHT OF UNDERPASSES

New Plan: It was brought down to 4.5 metres by a committee. However, it has now been kept between 4.5 and 5 metres.

Old Plan: Earlier the height of underpasses was 7 metres