Proposal for diversion of forest land from Mahavir Harina Vanasthali national park rejected

Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority had proposed the construction of an inter-city/ intra-city bus bay and bus stops at the boundary of the 1,459-hectare national park.

The Ministry of Environment & Forests has rejected the State government’s proposal for the diversion of forest land from the Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park on National Highway 65 in Hayatnagar for construction of a bus bay.

Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority had proposed the construction of an inter-city/ intra-city bus bay and bus stops at the boundary of the 1,459-hectare national park, and applied for the diversion of 1.354 hectares which amounts close to 3.5 acres of forest land.

Together with the land sought from the eco-sensitive zone outside the boundary of the park, the total forest land required as per the proposal stands at 1.5 hectares or 3.7 acres.

Conveying the rejection of the proposal, an official communique addressed from the Ministry to the Special Chief Secretary, Environment, Forests, Science & Technology said the proposed project is non-site-specific in nature, and non-forest land was available on all the three sides of the forest land sought for diversion.

Citing Central guidelines pertaining to the site-specific projects and availability of non-forest land in close proximity, the diversion has been rejected.

A report by the Deputy Conservator of Forests mentioned an endangered species Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) which has its habitat in the forestland sought for diversion. A total 35 trees of the species Millingtonia hortensis or Indian Cork Tree were set to go with the diversion.

“The proposal mentions 1.354 hectares of forest land and 0.704 hectares of non-forest land. In the absence of proper map and authenticated GIS coordinates of the national park, it can be taken as proposal for diversion of park land of 2.058 hectares or 5.08 acres,” public policy expert and climate change campaigner Narasimha Reddy Donthi said in his objections filed for the proposal, which will spike noise and air pollution and disturb the wildlife in the park, he noted.