11K trees to be cut for Jewar airport

Central nod comes with afforestation clause and green cess

An apex committee of the Union Environment Ministry has cleared the cutting of 11,182 trees for the proposed Jewar airport in Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh. The panel of experts has however directed that this is conditional upon 1,12,820 trees being planted at alternative sites and the paying of an environmental cess worth ₹35 crore by the State’s Directorate of Civil Aviation.

Apart from the 11,182 trees to be cut, 178 trees would be shifted for developing the airport. The afforestation activities would be carried out in Sector 22 D and Sector 29-30 where a green belt is to come up, with 52,000 trees to be planted over 11 hectares in Murshadpur forest block and 15.5 hectares in Gulistanpur forest block. The afforestation would cost ₹2.3 crore and be separate from the green cess.

Village development

The cess would be spent in villages such as Rampur Bangar, Nilaouni, Dungarpur Rilka, Chandpur and Achheja Buzurg. Funds would be spent here on construction of toilets and community water tank as part of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, construction of a health centre, organising health camps, refurbishing existing schools, strengthening the technical training institute at Jewar, solid waste management and improving village roads as well as infrastructure.

A survey by the Wildlife Institute of India had identified six species of mammals and 60 bird species in and around the proposed airport site. These included blackbuck, nilgai, golden jackal, jungle cat, sarus cranes, Egyptian vulture and the Indian peafowl; 99 perennial waterbodies were also recorded across the landscape.

The organisation has prepared a conservation plan for the project. The project developer would also have to restore waterbodies and fill 14 ponds in the region.

Source: Read Full Article