Kalpetta: While the state government is proceeding with the Kozhikode-Wayanad (Anakkampoyil to Kalladi) twin-tunnel project as an alternative to Wayanad Ghat road, the environmentalists have approached the Ministry of Environment Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) with a demand to cancel the clearance for the project.
In a letter to the centre, the Greens cited that there was a deliberate misrepresentation of facts in the application submitted for getting first-level clearance for the project.
Dileep Buildcon Limited, a Hyderabad-based infrastructure development company, has won the tender for the project, which is estimated to cost Rs 1341 crores. Wayanad Prakrithi Samrakshana Samithi (WPSS) has written a letter to the Union Minister as well as to the Secretary of the (MoEF&CC) pointing out alleged omissions in the procedure. It has urged the Union government to reject the application prepared by the Public Works Department for final clearance.
The move comes in the wake of the recent devastating landslide in Wayanad. According to the Greens, an earlier application riddled with false information was submitted to the MoEF&CC by the state for the clearance of the project on May 16, 2022.
Citing the denial of any ecological impact in the report, the complaint said that the 8.7 km long four-lane tunnel road cuts through the eco-sensitive zones of Thiruvambadi, Jeerakappara (both in Kozhikode district), Vellarimala and Kottapadi (both in Wayanad district) villages, devouring a total land area of around 51.370 hectares of which 34.304 hectares comprise forest land.
They also quoted the report of the State-level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC), which flagged the environmentally sensitive nature of the land, referring to it as a ‘High Hazard Zone’ and saying that the majority of the land of the region falls under the ‘unstable’ category.
Moreover, the project area is known as the "Frequent Landslide Prone" zone, it was pointed out. The village of Puthumala, where 17 persons were killed in a landslide in 2019, is approximately 0.85 km away from the end of the proposed tunnel project.
In addition, the Thiruvambady Village in Kozhikode and Vellarimala Village in Wayanad, are ESA Villages, the complaint pointed out. The proposed project passes through forest land for 5.76 km. There are tribal settlements with 27 families affected by the project.
The project document submitted to MoEF&CC skips suggestions for alternatives, including strengthening and widening the existing five ghat roads (Nadukani, Thamarassery, Pakramthalm, Periya, Boys’ Town), the impact on the environment and details on the cost of the approach roads to be constructed, the letter said.
The complaint also refers to reports of recurring landslides in these areas. These incidents are key indicators that point towards the fragility of the earth. “We strongly believe this tunnel construction will be the 'last nail in the coffin' of Wayanad," the letter said. The complaint has also been sent to the Chief Secretary, Secretary of MoEF&CC and chairman of SEAC.
Meanwhile, Arun Ghosh, PRO to the Konkan Railway Corporation Limited, the Special Purpose Vehicle for the project, said that they have bagged both the stage I and stage II environmental clearances of MoEFCC. Stage 1 has 5 years of validity. Stage II clearance is necessary only for the operational phase. “Once the State-level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) issues the clearance for the project, there would be no other hindrances to kick-start the project," he added.
Referring to the complaint of WPSS, Arun Ghosh said that the environmental clearance and the clearance from the SEAC are entirely different. The MoFE&CC has stressed avoiding disturbances to the forests, protecting elephant corridors and ensuring safe movement of animals. On directions, an additional underpassage will be constructed for the free movement of elephant herds.
In addition, there will be a wall on both sides of the entrances to the tunnel to prevent the animals from entering the tunnel. “The clearance was given to us after we have submitted our readiness to oblige with the directions of the Ministry,” he added.
On the other hand, the SEAC focuses on the overall impact of the project on the environment. “On directions of the agency, we conducted studies to assess the vibration impact of tunnelling and how far the vibrations would travel with the expertise of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). The study confirmed that the vibration impact will not be felt, not even up to 100 meters away,” Arun Ghosh said.