A meeting is called on 12-May to plan activities on World Environment Day / 5-June to take the struggle forward.
May 09, 2013
Public Release
![Description: H-D_Mission_4000_Trees]()
Environmental
Damage Caused by the BRTS Project and Citizens’ Struggle for Sustainable
Development
![]()
Rashtrotthan
Sankalp Trust (RASTR) has taken up the cause to set right the
environmental damage caused by the widening of the highway between Hubballi and
Dharwad for the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) under the name Mission 4000 Trees.
Various Civil Society Organisations, environmentalists and citizens have joined
hands in this cause. On the one hand, we are compelling the government and
other agencies to compensate for the environmental damage caused by the project
funded by the World Bank and on the other, we are creating awareness on this
grave environmental issue among the citizens through public meetings, leaflet
distribution, signature campaign, awareness in educational institutions, etc.
The following is an account of the campaign of the citizens till date to protect
the environment of the Hubballi-Dharwad region against blind and rampant concretization
and preserve it for future generations!
The 19.4 km highway between Hosur, Hubballi
and Jubilee Circle, Dharwad in the twin-cities of Hubballi-Dharwad coming under
State Highway 73 (SH-73), is being widened to 8 lanes by Hubballi-Dharwad BRTS
Co. Ltd. RASTR has obtained information pertaining to the project through
various means including conversations with officials, through the Right to
Information (RTI) Act, 2005 and the websites of various agencies. Some
important documents may be found on our website http://rastr.in/M4KTrees.html.
Originally, the project scope was
to widen the existing road between Hubballi and Dharwad to 4 lanes by KRDCL (http://www.krdcl.in). The contract was awarded
to GVR Infra Projects Ltd., Chennai (http://www.gvrinfra.com/)
at a price of Rs. 119.11 crores. The
Security Deposit made by the Contractor is about Rs. 6 crores. The bids for the
project were called in Aug. 2010. The execution commenced on 30-Apr-2011 and was
scheduled to be completed by 29-Apr-2013.
There was a Defect Liability period of 1 year after completion of the project,
during which the contractor is obligated to repair the road for any defects
found, failing which the Security Deposit may be forfeited. There was a further
Maintenance Period of 2 years after the
Defect Liability Period of 1 year.
At present, there is confusion
in the entire project. Now Hubballi-Dharwad BRTS have taken over the project.
It is now proposed to make the road 8 lane wide. It is pathetic that the
proponents of BRTS and 8 lane road between the twin cities did not explore the
use of the existing railway line between the two cities. Use of the railway
line (with necessary upgrades) which is within 100 meters of the proposed BRTS
would have been not only economical but would have also prevented the
irreparable damage caused to the local ecology. Railway as a mass rapid transit
system is far less polluting than automobile based transport that the 8-lane
highway will encourage.
The State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) (http://www.seiaa.kar.nic.in)
constituted by the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India, has
accorded Environmental Clearance (EC)
to the project with the condition to
plant about 4000 trees along the newly constructed highway as a compensation to
the trees that are cut for the road widening. KRDCL has paid the Forest
Department Rs. 27.24 lakhs only at a rate of Rs. 717 only per tree as compensatory
afforestation charges.
![Description: I:\E_backup_2012Sep16\track2_27Nov2012\RASTR\Activities\2011\HD_Hway_SH73_widening\Envt\pics\cut_trees\tree_carnage1.jpg]()
Contractors pull down hundreds
of Giant Trees along the Highway
However, there are certain serious issues concerned with this
matter as listed below:
1. Nearly
1800 fully grown trees which were part of the culture and heritage of
Dharwad-Hubballi were destroyed to make way for the project.
2. All
the 1800 trees were auctioned off to contractors for a paltry consideration of
Rs. 9 lakh only.
3. These
1800 trees destroyed included native
trees of various types such as Neem, Banyan, Mango, Tamarind, Pipal, etc.
with girth (trunk diameter) greater than 1 meter. Hundreds of them had a girth of 4 - 5 meters.
4. Many
trees were hundreds of years old and
were part of several generations of citizens of the twin city. They were
shelter to numerous species of birds and other fauna.
5. Each tree is estimated to pump as much oxygen
into the atmosphere as required by 10 human beings. Thus, oxygen required for nearly 20,000 people in
the twin city is no more available after cutting of these trees. The damage
done to the habitat of the fauna (animals and insects) dependent on these trees
is not counted by the government.
6. A fully grown tree is estimated to cost about Rs. 50,000 per year in terms of its economical /
ecological value. We would be losing Rs. 9 crores every year as a result of
axing these 1800 fully grown trees. In twenty years, the loss would be about Rs. 180 crores
7. Thus
the compensatory afforestation charge of Rs. 27.24 lakh is in fact no
compensation to the huge ecological
damage done to the environment of the twin-city.
8. There
is no space available on either side of the proposed road to take up avenue
plantation, as private properties abut the highway.
9. ![Description: I:\E_backup_2012Sep16\track2_27Nov2012\RASTR\Activities\2011\HD_Hway_SH73_widening\Envt\pics\H-D_hway_tree_carnage\DSC_0016_comp.JPG]()
![Text Box: Dead Trunk of a magnificent
ancient tree]()
Keeping these issues aside, it is shocking to know that neither KRDCL, nor
H-D BRTS Co. Ltd., nor the Forest Department, Dharwad have any firm plans in
place for the compensatory afforestation. In written replies to RTI
queries, all the agencies have passed the buck to each other.
10. Further,
the trees even if planted, will take years to grow to live independently. There
are neither any provisions nor plans to shelter the trees or care for them
until they grow up.
Environmental Experts including
Shri Suresh Heblikar, Eco Watch, http://www.ecowatchindia.org/ have condemned
this act of rampant cutting of the trees along the highway between Hubballi and
Dharwad will affect the sensitive environment of this region resulting in
adverse impact to Soil, Climate and the Rainfall. In addition, ground water
resources also would be affected. It will affect the Bio –Diversity of the
region, thereby affecting the Agricultural and Horticultural crops too. The
temperature will soar adding to the electricity bills. Hubballi-Dharwad is
experiencing the shortage of water invariably. The loss of tree cover will
further worsen the situation by critically disturbing the hydrological pattern
and groundwater especially. For a lot of agricultural families, people who sell
mangoes and guavas and fodder, and also shepherds, these trees were the shelter.
Also, the migratory birds, aquatic birds took shelter on these trees. The bird
population will also dwindle affecting pollination and the local biodiversity.
In fact, lot of these trees would have been saved and still the road could have
been widened. All said and done the precious environment has already been
affected thus resulting in future economic fallout. Added to this, there would
be more pollution caused by the increased traffic as a result of widening the
road.
The so-called Environmental
Management Plan published on the website of the DULT and H‑D BRTS Co. Ltd.
(http://stg1.kar.nic.in/urbantransport/HD_Reports.html)
has no mention of the tree cutting and compensatory afforestation or avenue
plantation. The BRTS Co. is also misleading the World Bank and violating the
Central Government’s directions.
Considering such serious lapses by KRDCL, H-D BRTS Co.
Ltd. as well as the Karnataka Forest Department, RASTR had appealed the SEIAA to reconsider the matter and issue
appropriate directions to KRDCL / Forest Department including:
1.
Increased
Compensatory Afforestation requirement
2.
Directing KRDCL / Forest Department to publish
a draft plan of compensatory afforrestation immediately. This must
include:
a. ![Text Box: A meeting of the Civil Society on Mission 4000 Trees, H-D]()
![Description: Description: public_mtng_dwd_2012Nov04]()
Number and types / species of trees to be
planted
b. Location
of trees to be planted
c. Watering
and Protection to be provided to the saplings against animals
d. Time-table
/ schedule for various activities
e. Long-term
care and nurturing to each of the plants, defining the number of years the saplings
will be watered, protected and cared for / maintained.
3.
Form a five member Observers Team with representation from Environmental
Experts and Civil Society to participate in the Compensatory Afforestation
drive and to monitor and make appropriate recommendations to the authorities /
agencies concerned to make the compensatory afforrestation plan successful.
RASTR has taken up this cause
under the name Mission 4000 Trees.
Various Civil Society Organisations, environmentalists and citizens have
pledged their support to this cause already. Civil society has been creating
awareness on this grave environmental issue among the citizens through sessions
in schools, colleges, institutions and on the internet. Till date over 10,000
signatures have been collected on a petition to the Chief Minsiter. On line
signatures are available at http://www.change.org/en-IN/petitions/plant-4000trees-along-hubballi-dharwad-brts-highway.
Over 3000 children belonging to various schools in the twin-cities have signed
a special petition to the CM to intervene and save the environment in a
campaign led by CMCA (http://www.cmcaindia.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=80&Itemid=60#)
Civil society representatives
have held several meetings since 2012 and have visited the Commissioner of
Department of Urban Land Transport (DULT), Govt. of Karnatak, the M.D. of
KRDCL, the Conservator of Forest, Dharwad, the D.C of Dharwad and the M.D of
H-D BRTS to press for compensation to the environment. The citizens have also
met the CM in this regard.
The Demands put forth by the
Citizens are as follows:
1.
Publish a plan to take up Compensatory
Afforestation at least at the rate of planting 10 native trees for every tree
destroyed by the project i.e. plant 20,000 trees in Hubballi-Dharwad as
compensation.
2.
Display the Environmental Clearance on boards
prominently at the project site.
3.
Publish a plan of Avenue Plantation immediately.
This must include:
a.
![]()
![Text Box: Civil Society meeting with the
Conservator of Forest, Dharwad]()
Address, Telephone, FAX, email
& website of the Agency / Official responsible for the Avenue Plantation
for this project
b.
Area / land identified for the Avenue Plantation
c.
Number and types / species of trees to be
planted
d.
Specification of Protection / fencing /
tree-guard to be provided to the saplings against cattle and other animals
e.
Watering and Manuring
f.
Time-table / schedule for various activities
g.
Long-term care and nurturing to each of the
plants, defining the number of years the saplings will be watered, protected
and cared for / maintained.
4.
![Text Box: Milestones / Chronology of events:
è c. 2010: MLA, Hubbali-Dharwad Central and Chief Minister, Jagadish Shettar’s ‘pet’ project to widen highway between Hubballi & Dharwad starts, but without any consultation with the Citizens of the twin-cities.
è Apr-2011: KRDCL awards contract to widen the highway between Hubballi & Dharwad to 4 lanes
è Jun-2011: Forest department auctioned off 1800 age old trees, which were integral part of the culture of Dharwad Hubballi, to timber contractors for a paltry sum of Rs. 9 lakhs. Hundreds of magnificent trees that adored the highway were brought down to ground without any firm plans for compensation!
è Aug-2011: Environmental Clearance received for the project; One of the conditions is to grow 4000 trees along the highway
è May-2012: RASTR writes to SEIAA regarding no plans for avenue plantation and other violations of Environmental Clearance; RASTR obtains information on the project through RTI and other means
è Oct to Dec-2012: Several meetings of Civil Society organised
è Oct-2012: Civil society demands KRDCL, Forest Department and Department of Urban Land Transport to compensate the ecological damage.
è Oct. 2012: Signature campaign begins; Over 10,000 signatures collected on a petition to the CM.
è Jan. 2013: KRDCL transfers responsibility of the project to H-D BRTS Co. Ltd.
è May. 2013: RASTR complains to World Bank, which is financing the HD-BRTS upto Rs. 500 crores, that the DULT / HD-BRTS Company’s Environment Management Plan (EMP) does make mention of the 1800 trees destroyed for the project.
è Till Date: H-D BRTS Co. Ltd. has no firm plans of avenue plantation or compensatory afforestation but only promises in air to take the citizens for a ride!]()
Form a five member Observers Team
with representation from Environmental Experts and Civil Society to participate
in the Avenue Plantation and Compensatory Afforestation drive and to monitor
and make appropriate recommendations to the authorities to make the
compensatory afforestation and Avenue Plantation plan successful.
In response, HDBRTS Co. and
all government agencies have so far paid only lip service leaving the
compensatory afforrestation and Avenue plantation in limbo. In a recent
meeting of citizens with BRTS M.D., Noor Mansoor, on 15-Feb-2013, the company
made claims of planting 30,000 trees and developing the ponds at
Bhairidevarakoppa and Rayapur which are almost destroyed due to the project,
but could produce no concrete evidence of any steps taken to make the
plantation a reality. The engineering cross-section drawings of the 8-lane
highway have no locations identified for avenue plantation.
Added to this there are inherent
problems with BRTS. There is no space on either side of the proposed alignment
for avenue plantation. The BRTS Company has failed to produce cross‑section
plans of the road showing provisions for avenue plantation. The electric poles /
lines have not been planned to accommodate avenue plantation.
One of the biggest problems
seems to be that of reconciling the old plan of 4 lane with the 8 lane BRTS. Only
about 1 m median was planned for the original 4 lanes planned by KRDCL. Many
kilometers of work as per this plan has been completed with crores of rupees
spent for the concrete pavement. The CM is reported all set to inaugurate a stretch
of the half completed highway with an eye on the impending assembly elections.
The BRTS, however is having a 4 meters wide median. No one knows what will
happen to the crores of rupees spent for the alignment with only 1 meter wide
median space left at present, if BRTS has to have 4 meter wide median.
RASTR has complained the World
Bank, which is financing the HD-BRTS upto Rs. 500 crores, that the DULT /
HD-BRTS Company’s Environment Management Plan (EMP) does not even make a
mention of the 1800 trees destroyed for the project, nor does it speak of even
one tree to be planted in compensation, far from the claim of 30,000 trees made
by HD-BRTS Co.
The Citizens led by RASTR are
determined to make Avenue plantation as envisaged in the Environmental
Clearance and the Compensatory Afforestation a reality before the commissioning
of the widened road / BRTS. More vigorous campaign is planned in the future and
the civil society is gearing up to take the movement to the next level
including intensified protests and exploring legal action. A huge Awareness
and Protest March of citizens is planned on 5-June of the occasion of the World Environment Day. Citizens are
requested and expected to join this campaign to preserve a better environment
for themselves and present a greener future for their children!
Jai Hind!
(Santosh
P. Nargund)
Adhyaksha,
Rashtortthan
Sankalp Trust
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Jai Hind!
Santosh P. Nargund
Rashtrotthan Sankalp
Evil Triumphs When Good People Sit
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