Assam: NH-127B Road Project Faces Scrutiny Over Alleged Misrepresentation Of Environmental Data

DHUBRI: Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental Management Plan (EMP) of the NH-127B Srirampur-Dhubri road stretch is under question following allegations of misrepresentation of ecological information.

The report, which was presented in March 2020 by C.E. Testing Company Pvt. Ltd. to the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (NHIDCL), is being criticized for having inaccuracies that can compromise the environmental sustainability of the project.

This evaluation was included in the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the evaluation of the potential environmental effects of the highway, especially in the proposed alignment of the Brahmaputra Bridge along Adabari.

There have been notable discrepancies, such as the inclusion of Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary, which is more than 500 km away in Golaghat district, in the indirect influence zone of the project. The sanctuary has no ecological connection to the Dhubri area, which questions the credibility of the report. The report also includes species like the long-billed vulture, which are not found in the region, along with flora and fauna that are not found along the proposed alignment.

Environmentalists have also raised concerns that such misrepresentations might result in sub-standard assessments and mitigation strategies. The clearance of the report by NHIDCL without proper scrutiny has further raised questions about the credibility of the regulatory process.

The local stakeholders now demand serious analysis of data and independent environmental audits to check against environment standards and ensure that no damage is caused to the environment.

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