NHAI to incur Rs 230 mn for Pune-Nashik Highway project replantation

01 Mar 2024 CW Team

In 2020, environmental activist Ganesh Borhade, based in Ahmednagar, filed a case on this matter. The construction of the highway was finalised in 2017, and the NHAI was obligated to replant the trees that were felled during the construction process. Borhade stated, "The NHAI officials had informed me in response to an RTI query that they had already done the needful ? but when we cross-verified the list, there was nothing on the ground. Hence, I approached the NGT four years ago. A total of 2,373 trees were felled on the highway stretch that falls in Sangamner alone. The trees felled on the complete stretch of the highway are much more."

The NGT has mandated that officials concerned should plant 10 trees for every tree felled during highway construction. The compensatory afforestation will be carried out by the state social forestry department in Pune, Ahmednagar, and Nashik districts, where the highway passes through. Vivek Khandekar, additional principal chief conservator of forests, mentioned, "We will simultaneously start the plantation in all three divisions once funds are received. There is a provision for irrigation so trees can be watered until the monsoon."

The petitioner in this case also asserted that NHAI officials did not construct the required underpasses and overpasses for wildlife crossings on the highway, with leopards being the most frequently sighted animals on this stretch, leading to frequent accidents. Now, the NGT has directed the forest department to provide sketches indicating dimensions or specifications of the underpasses and asked them to share the guidelines for building wildlife crossings as agreed upon with NHAI.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) bench in this location has instructed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to remit Rs 230.41 million to the forest department for the purpose of conducting afforestation instead of the trees that were cut down for the construction of the Pune-Nashik highway. It was mandated that the funds be transferred to the forest department's account within a month of the order issued on Feb 12. The tribunal mentioned that the forest officials should verify the reception of the amount, if paid, by the upcoming hearing on April 10. In 2020, environmental activist Ganesh Borhade, based in Ahmednagar, filed a case on this matter. The construction of the highway was finalised in 2017, and the NHAI was obligated to replant the trees that were felled during the construction process. Borhade stated, The NHAI officials had informed me in response to an RTI query that they had already done the needful ? but when we cross-verified the list, there was nothing on the ground. Hence, I approached the NGT four years ago. A total of 2,373 trees were felled on the highway stretch that falls in Sangamner alone. The trees felled on the complete stretch of the highway are much more. The NGT has mandated that officials concerned should plant 10 trees for every tree felled during highway construction. The compensatory afforestation will be carried out by the state social forestry department in Pune, Ahmednagar, and Nashik districts, where the highway passes through. Vivek Khandekar, additional principal chief conservator of forests, mentioned, We will simultaneously start the plantation in all three divisions once funds are received. There is a provision for irrigation so trees can be watered until the monsoon. The petitioner in this case also asserted that NHAI officials did not construct the required underpasses and overpasses for wildlife crossings on the highway, with leopards being the most frequently sighted animals on this stretch, leading to frequent accidents. Now, the NGT has directed the forest department to provide sketches indicating dimensions or specifications of the underpasses and asked them to share the guidelines for building wildlife crossings as agreed upon with NHAI.

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