National highway officials have deliberately split road project work in the Western Ghats into two parts to avoid scrutiny by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, according to a trust. The Green Lives Shivamogga Trust has alleged that this tactic bypasses mandatory environmental impact assessments, despite ongoing complaints from local communities and environmentalists.
Project Division to Evade Review
The trust claims that officers divided the project into smaller segments, each falling below the threshold that triggers automatic ministry review. This practice effectively sidesteps the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification, which requires projects above a certain size to obtain environmental clearance. The move has raised concerns about unchecked deforestation and biodiversity loss in the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats.
Impact on Western Ghats
The Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is home to thousands of species of flora and fauna, many endemic. Road construction here has led to habitat fragmentation and increased human-wildlife conflict. Local residents have reported landslides and disruption of water sources due to the blasting and excavation activities. The trust has urged the Ministry to investigate the project division and enforce compliance with environmental laws.
Call for Transparency
Green Lives Shivamogga Trust has called for a halt to the projects until a proper environmental impact assessment is conducted. They have also demanded that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) make project documents public. According to the trust, the division of work was a deliberate attempt to avoid public scrutiny and accountability. The issue highlights the ongoing tension between infrastructure development and environmental conservation in India.
