Centre’s defers HP road project owing to violations by PWD

The Centre has deferred Himachal Pradesh Government’s proposal to divert more than 18 acres of a protected forest land for widening of road heading from Poh Maidan to Dankhar Helipad in Lahaul and Spiti over the violation by the state’s Public Works Department (PWD) for initiating the road construction without taking nod from the authorities concerned under the Forest Rights Act.

Not only the Environment Ministry’s forest advisory committee asked the state government to take action against officials of the PWD for violation, it also gave directions to submit the wildlife management plans as the road widening project would fall in the Blue Sheep habitat. Besides, the proposed diverted forest land forms part of Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve.

From the forest advisory committee’s minutes of the meeting it is learnt that road widening project lies at 7.16 km aerial distance from the boundary of the Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary. The aerial distance of the project from the boundary of notified eco-sensitive zone of Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary is 3.8 km.

The Himachal Pradesh Forest Department stated that a wildlife management plan along with an animal passage plan was crucial for the project. The area from which the road has been cut is a habitat of Blue Sheep found in large numbers that utilise the nearby pastures of Dhar Gangchumi and Nipti Nalla and plain pastures of Baldang. “During the site inspection by Divisional Forest Officer, Spiti Wildlife Division, Blue Sheep herds have been spotted near Nipti Nalla and Newpur Dogri on December 20, 2024. Hence, user agency (PWD) will create underpasses for the Blue Sheep herds to pass across the pastures,” the minutes of the meeting quoted to the state forest cell.

The cost of the project is approximately Rs 5 crore. The ministry has also directed the PWD to install noise and headlight reduction barriers to minimise the impact of traffic on the wildlife. The barriers will be vetted by the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun.