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Proposed Atmakur-Dornala stretch of NH 340 may remain a pipe dream
Highlights
The six-lane highway NH 340 to Amaravati from Kurnool via Vijayawada is likely to remain a pipe dream, with doubts being expressed about the 60-km Atmakur-Dornala stretch on either side of which is located near Nallamala Tiger Sanctuary. About half of the country’s tiger population is located in the Nallamala forest spread over Kurnool and Prakasam districts.
* National Tiger Conservation Authority is likely to stall construction activity of six-lane highway NH 340 to Amaravati from Kurnool via Vijayawada as it is located near Nallamala Tiger Sanctuary
Atmakur: The six-lane highway NH 340 to Amaravati from Kurnool via Vijayawada is likely to remain a pipe dream, with doubts being expressed about the 60-km Atmakur-Dornala stretch on either side of which is located near Nallamala Tiger Sanctuary. About half of the country’s tiger population is located in the Nallamala forest spread over Kurnool and Prakasam districts.This is more so with the Central government and Forest department clearances are in doubt, despite the fact that proposals for the Kurnool-Guntur highway are ready. Usually, any construction activity in tiger sanctuaries is banned. Besides, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) will stall such activity.
Even the Supreme Court has banned any construction in any tiger reserve area. Already the State Forest department officials have been told that the permission for the highway won’t be given, as the relevant Acts in this aspect are clear.
Under these Acts, a citizen can approach the Supreme Court to stop the highway work even if the Prime Minister himself intervenes.
A Forest department official points out that the Central department had not approved the Atmakur-Dornala double road work pending sanction for the last 50 years. It surely will not keep quiet if the proposed six-lane highway is taken up, he stated.
Yet leaders in the government have been holding out assurances, thus misleading the people to take up works like the highway, including the Atmakur-Dornala stretch, despite knowing that it is not possible to secure the required permissions. If the highway is expanded through the Tiger Sanctuary it would become easy for hunters to kill the protected and rare species which are to be found only in the Nallamala area. Besides, there is a threat of the animals being hit by vehicles passing on the highway at a speed of 150 km.
It may be recalled here that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu during his tours in Kurnool had given green signal for the highway besides converting the district into an industrial hub.
Sathya Peter
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