Thiruvananthapuram, 11July (HS) :

Citing the recent landslip at the Anakkampoyil–Kalladi–Meppadi tunnel project site in Wayanad, in which seven workers were killed and one person remained missing, environmentalist Thomas Lawrence, Chief Executive Officer of Save Wetlands International Movement (SWIM), has urged the authorities to transfer the environmental appraisal of the proposed twin-tunnel road project to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). Lawrence said the tragedy had reinforced the organisation's earlier warnings about the geological and environmental risks associated with the project and contended that the proposal falls under the Centre's jurisdiction because of its ecological sensitivity, geological vulnerability and proximity to protected forest areas.

In a detailed representation submitted to the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), the State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC), the Union environment ministry and other agencies associated with the project, Lawrence alleged that the proposal contains serious irregularities, including the concealment of material facts during the environmental clearance process.

The representation claimed that the project proponent had secured Stage-I forest clearance despite alleged deficiencies in the application and subsequently sought environmental clearance from the SEIAA based on that approval. It argued that the project should not be appraised at the state level as it qualifies as a Category 'A' project under the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification because of its scale, extensive excavation, mining and tunnelling activities, and its location close to protected wildlife habitats.

Lawrence said SWIM had repeatedly cautioned the authorities about the environmental and geological risks associated with the proposed twin-tunnel project well before construction activities began. According to him, the organisation had submitted scientific studies and technical representations highlighting the fragile geology of the region, its high susceptibility to landslides and the ecological sensitivity of the area. He said SWIM had warned that large-scale excavation, blasting and tunnelling could trigger a major catastrophe unless subjected to rigorous scientific scrutiny.

According to Lawrence, the proposed four-lane twin-tunnel road and its approach roads would require more than 50 hectares of forest land, potentially fragmenting wildlife habitats within the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary and the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. He also expressed concern that the project could disrupt traditional elephant migration corridors connecting Wayanad and Kabini.

The representation further questioned the technical evaluation of the project, alleging that the expert committee constituted at the state level lacked the specialised expertise required to assess a large infrastructure project in an ecologically fragile region. It also raised objections to the agencies engaged for conducting studies related to the project, including the social impact assessment, and questioned the credentials and contractual arrangements of consultants associated with the proposal.

Lawrence urged the authorities to immediately transfer the proposal to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for appraisal by the Expert Appraisal Committee, maintaining that the SEIAA does not have the jurisdiction to grant environmental clearance for the project as, according to the representation, it is a Category 'A' project under the EIA Notification.

Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman