The proposal for diversion of the National Highway No 38 bypassing Digboi, Margherita and Ledo from Bogapani to Lekhapani from KM 20 to KM 53 defies good sense, protection of biodiversity and the rights of an astonishing variety of wildlife of Upper-Dehing East Reserve Forest and Digboi Reserve Forest. The diversion will affect a considerable stretch of both the reserve forests. The concerned departments of the government appears either ill-informed or unwilling to be informed of the disastrous impact that the proposed diversion will have upon the marvellous texture of floral varieties providing an ideal habitat to an equally marvellous faunal variety.
Several species of mammals and carnivores, including elephants, hoolock gibbons, slow lorises, clouded leopards, tigers and golden cats as also the white winged wood-duck and hornbills are sighted in these stretches of forests. Quite a few of these are critically endangered and if the proposed diversion comes into reality, all these species will be heavily affected and may be quite a few of them will become extinct altogether.
The proposal is being pursued for more than six years now. While recommending the proposal in the early part of 2012, the State Government�s Department of Environment and Forests forwarded a report received from the State Forest Department to the Chief Conservator of Forests (C), Govt of India for the latter�s approval to the diversion. But it is learnt that in a rejoinder to the original petition under OA No 19/2014 pending before the Principal Bench of the National Green Tribunal, it has been stated that the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt of India has already rejected, closed and deleted the proposal of diversion of the National Highway 38 from its list. Yet, the matter is being pressed by the authorities concerned without a foolproof study and assessment of the possible impact of the diversion upon the existing biodiversity of the areas of forests and consequently upon the environment of this entire region.
The diversion will also disturb the two existing elephant corridors � the Bogapani Corridor and the Golai Corridor as also the free passage of the hoolock gibbons living in the Upper Dehing East Reserve Forest, Digboi Reserve Forest and the adjacent Dehing-Patkai Sanctuary.
In a meeting convened and presided over by the then Deputy Commissioner of Tinsukia District on June 16, 2009 in the conference hall of the said office, the issue was discussed thread bare from various angles by the senior officials of the district civil administration, the Forest department officials, representatives of prominent NGOs, senior wildlife biologists and wildlife activists etc. The meeting constituted a committee and the Deputy Commissioner said that the committee would visit the sites and after elaborate discussion would submit options for diversion of the NH 38 bypass. He also said that the general people were not aware about the richness of the forest because the data had not been available earlier but because by then such information was at hand all developments in the area should be planned taking into account the avoidance of damages to the forest area and the existing flora and fauna. But the sad thing is that the committee has not had any further session to find out alternative options.
In the context of all these threats to the priceless varieties of wildlife and their age-old habitats and the ecology of the entire region, the sensible section of the public hold that the proposal of the diversion of NH 38, which has already been negated by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt of India, be dropped once for all and, in its place, the NH authorities should work out the modalities for improving the existing road from Digboi to Lekhapani and maintain it well.