Daijiworld Media Network - Kalem
Kalem, Dec 24: In a major setback to local residents and environmentalists, the National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) has granted consent to the South Western Railway (SWR) to handle iron ore at the Kalem railway yard, which lies within the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park.
The NBWL, at a meeting held earlier this month, recommended the proposal to the Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) for wildlife clearance involving the use of 0.7616 hectares of forest land from the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary. The approval has been granted with specific conditions, including a strict directive that no damage should be caused to forest land or wildlife habitat during the execution and operation of the activity.
As per the proposal, the SWR plans to undertake loading, unloading and transportation of iron ore at the Kalem railway station yard, which is located inside the protected area. Railway authorities had earlier refused to shift the iron ore handling activity beyond a two-kilometre radius from the sanctuary boundary, citing lack of feasibility for relocation.
The proposal had already received clearance from the State Wildlife Board during its meeting held in September.
During discussions at the NBWL meeting, members were informed that Kalem railway station has been operational since the Portuguese era and continued to function under the Southern Maratha Railway before coming under the South Western Railway after its formation in 2004. At present, the station is open for handling inward goods traffic in full train loads.
“The station has been handling the transportation of minerals,” the proposal stated, adding that the project had been recommended by the Chief Wildlife Warden, approved by the State Board for Wildlife and forwarded by the State government.
The NBWL recommended the proposal with a condition that the user agency must submit an annual compliance certificate to the State Chief Wildlife Warden, while the State Chief Wildlife Warden must submit a yearly compliance report to the Government of India.
The Kalem panchayat had strongly opposed the Chief Wildlife Warden’s approval for the project and had petitioned the Chief Minister, urging the State government not to permit iron ore handling within the ecologically sensitive area.
Environmentalists and local residents have expressed concern that iron ore loading and transportation inside the sanctuary could intensify ecological stress, disrupt wildlife movement and increase pollution in the biodiversity-rich Bhagwan Mahavir landscape.