Nagpur: With work on four-laning of NH-7 between Mansar and Khawasa in full swing, National Tiger Conservation Authority ( NTCA ) under the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC) has constituted a four-member team to monitor wildlife mitigation measures.

The team consists of Debabrata Swain, inspector general of forests (IGF), NTCA regional office at Nagpur, Bilal Habib, scientist with Wildlife Institute of India (WII),Dehradun , field director of Pench tiger reserve MS Reddy, and representative of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

After the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court gave a go ahead on March 31, NHAI has expedited the road widening work. However, work has not started in patches where wildlife mitigation measures are to be taken.

The team will conduct a site visit on June 2 and submit a report in 15 days. The high court has already ordered that as per the revised report of NTCA and WII submitted to the Maharashtra government on January 31, nine underpasses should be constructed. It includes two 300 metres, one 750 metres and remaining six of 50, 60 and 80 metres length.

The high court had also reiterated that mitigation measures on both NH-7 & NH-6 were essential for maintaining habitat connectivity across Eastern Vidarbha landscape comprising six tiger strongholds namely Pench, Navegaon-Nagzira, Bor, Umred-Karhandla, Tipeshwar, Brahmapuri and Tadoba-Andhari.

"Without maintaining habitat connectivity, long-term conservation of tiger in this landscape may get compromised," the HC said.