Wayanad Samithi urges Union govt to block twin tunnel project

KOCHI: The Wayanad Prakruthi Samrakshana Samithi has written to the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) to reject the state govt's application for the proposed twin tunnel project in Wayanad, not far from the site of recent landslides.
The Samithi said that the request for approval for Phase 1 of the mega tunnel project is based on misleading information, and failed to mention that the area is situated in an eco-sensitive zone.
Furthermore, it pointed out that the proposal does not consider the settlement of rights for the tribal population that would be affected by the project, as mandated by the Forest Rights Act of 2006.
Previously, the state-level expert appraisal committee (SEAC) expressed concerns regarding the eco-fragility of the region after conducting a site visit and subsequently returned the proposal to the govt seeking further clarification.
The planned 8.7 km long four-lane tunnel road will cut through Thiruvambadi, Jeerakappara, Vellarimala, and Kottapadi villages, covering a total land area of around 51.370 hectares, out of which 34.304 hectares are forest lands and the remaining 17.07 hectares consist of private holdings. This effectively means around 61% of the acquired land is classified as forest land.
In its letter to Bhupender Yadav, Union minister of environment, forest and climate change, the Samithi accused the Public Works Department (PWD) of providing misleading information in Form 1, a crucial document in the expert appraisal process required for stage one clearance from the ministry.
It highlighted the observations made by the SEAC following its site inspection on May 25 this year, which included around 20 points of concern, particularly the high environmental sensitivity of the proposed site.
The SEAC also noted that the project area is known as a ‘frequent landslide-prone' area, especially during the monsoon season. "Although the SEAC requested the proponent to submit additional documents for further appraisal, these submissions could still rely on false and misleading information," the Samithi said.
Moreover, it pointed out that the additional documents submitted by the proponents did not address several critical issues, including the project's potential impact on nearby human settlements, especially in light of the recent Mundakkai disaster, as the landslide-affected area is very close to the proposed site.
Samithi president N Badusha said these mountain ranges host numerous endemic flora and fauna, including the critically endangered Banasura laughing thrush, found exclusively in these terrains. "We are sure that the construction of the tunnel through the Western Ghats will not benefit agriculture, industry, or tourism in Wayanad. Instead, it will lead to severe consequences for both the environment and society," he stated.