Kareena Eugene
The Central Empowered Committee, appointed by the Supreme Court, has said that they do not find any justification for undertaking the Rail Double-tracking Project in Goa, which has been opposed by Environmental experts.
On 23rd April, the panel said, a project of such a nature will destroy the fragile eco-system of the Western Ghats, which is an Internationally recognized biodiversity hotspot and also one of the most important wildlife corridors of the Country.
The Committee in its report said that, “Moreover, this doubling project will only be marginally enhancing the capacity of the most inefficient section of the railway network passing through the ecologically sensitive and bio-diversity rich tiger reserve, two wildlife sanctuaries and a national park,”. It also said that “In these circumstances, it is recommended for the consideration of this Hon’ble Court to revoke the permission granted by the standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) for doubling of the railway track passing through the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats…,”.
An objection had been raised by several local groups over three-linear projects by the Goa Tamnar Transmission Project Limited (GTTPL), which includes the double-tracking of the South-Western Railway line, four-laning of a National Highway and a laying of a power transmission line.
