Gujarat expressway project: Environment Ministry panel pulls up NHAI for EIA report 'peppered with errors'

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An Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Environment Ministry has said the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report for the construction of the Ahmedabad– Dholera Expressway in Gujarat, filed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), is 'peppered with errors'.

The proposed Rs 3,300 crore greenfield highway project is a four-lane expressway with a length of 109.019 km, under the Centre's  Bharatmala scheme.

In the minutes of its July 29-30 meeting, the committee observed that the consultant for the project, M/s Enviro Infra Solutions, had done 'very poor quality studies on biodiversity and ecology'. This, it said, reflects poorly not only on the accreditation process of the National Accreditation Board for Education and Training (NABET), but also on the NHAI 'for appointing such poor quality consultants'. Moneycontrol has reviewed a copy of the minutes.

The EIA report for the project had listed a few species which apparently are not found in India, with some of these even being endemic to other parts of the world.

"Lithobates catesbeianus is listed in the EIA which in fact is an American Bull Frog that is found in North America and invasive in many countries but not found in India. Similarly, Western Rat Snake Pantherophis obsoletus is found exclusively in North America. Podarcis muralis (common wall lizard) is found in Europe and North America and not India. A scorpion species Typhlochactas mitchelli listed in EIA is endemic to Mexico," the EAC noted.

Citing such kind of work as one of the main reasons for delays in considering projects, the committee deferred the proposal for want of revised EIA report for the portion related to biodiversity, ecology and checklist of fauna flora.

This comes at a time when the Environment Ministry has been mired in controversy over its Draft EIA Notification 2020. The ministry has drawn flak from various sections of society over provisions in the contentious environmental law. Several experts are of the opinion that the draft EIA further weakens the public consultation process and dilutes the law.

Also Read | Lessons from Baghjan, Dehing-Patkai: Assam fears bigger ecological damage from draft EIA