Of 51, NHAI completed compensatory plantation at just 3 sites: RTI response

 

 

 

The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), has completed compensatory plantation on just three sites of their 51 projects in Nagpur region in last 20 years. According to information received under the RTI Act by former honorary Wildlife Warden and environment activist Jaydeep Das, in Nagpur PIU-1, NHAI felled 14,321 trees on two different projects on NH 6. In both the projects, compensatory plantation has completed. Similarly, at another project on NH 7 also the compensatory plantation is done as per the data provided under the RTI. There are 10 Project Implementation Units (PIU) of NHAI including Nagpur PIU-1, Nagpur PIU-2, Washim, Nanded, Yavatmal, Aurangabad, Chandrapur, Dhule, Jalgaon and Amravati comes under the jurisdiction of Nagpur region.

 

In these 10 PIUs, NHAI has 51 projects and the compensatory plantation has been finished at just three sites. The data also revealed that, in Nagpur PIU-1, NHAI felled 48,376 trees for widening highways and other construction activities and planted 82,401 trees under its jurisdiction. “It may be a clerical fault by NHAI that mentioned in the RTI that I have received, but, the survival rate of planted saplings is almost 50 per cent throughout the region which is alarming,” Jaydeep Das told The Hitavada. According to the guidelines of Indian Roads Congress on landscaping and tree plantation, the authority must have to plant 666 trees per kilometre on highways of which 333 trees are to be planted on both sides of the road.

 

From 2001 to 2020, 1,84,317 trees were felled by NHAI for its 51 projects in Nagpur region. They have planted 5,68,398 trees so far as compensatory plantation. But, as per the above mentioned rule, NHAI has to do 16,35,712 tree plantation. “Instead of appointing expert, NHAI gives the contract of compensatory plantation to contractor who never maintain the planted saplings. Due to this, the survival rate is almost 50 per cent,” said Das. He also said, “If we go as per the rule then NHAI has to plant 10,67,314 more trees on their 51 sites. However, Indian Roads Congress has revised the rule from 666 trees/km to 1,000 trees/km recently.” The information provided by NHAI clearly showing that there is no transparency in compensatory plantation initiated by them. In the name of development, they are just cutting trees and not following the environment rules, said Das.