Dimapur, July 4 (MExN): The July 4 tragedy brought out some skeletons, hidden in officialdom, about the Dimapur-Kohima 4-laning project.
According to official Nagaland Pollution Control Board (NPCB) sources, the NHIDCL repeatedly ignored the former’s directive for taking precautionary safety measures on the said stretch.
Documents accessed by The Morung Express indicated that the NPCB flagged safety concern, writing to the NHIDCL atleast three times in 2020 and 2021. Two of the letters dated to May and September 2020. The May 2020 letter, citing an earlier letter, sought from the NHIDCL ‘Environmental Clearance” as required by section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
The NHIDCL claimed exemption from the requirement, which was acknowledged by the NPCB in a follow up letter in September of the same year. While acknowledging the exemption, the NPCB maintained, “The adverse impacts on the environment and threats to human life and property due to disturbance of the environment in the present project cannot be ignored.”
Therefore, under section 20 of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act 1974, it directed the NHIDCL to furnish, within 15 days, Detailed Project Report of the 4-lane project and specific details of ensuring the safety of the 4-lane. It also directed against use of dynamites on the ‘Pakala Pahar’ stretch of NH 29, which has been a known geologically sensitive hillock “till scientific justifications are made available.”
The NPCB wrote again in February 2021 reminding the NHIDCL of the September 2020 directive. This reminder was preceded by a rockslide in the same stretch on February 2, 2021, in which 3 commuters were injured and vehicles damaged.
An NPCB official commented, “The NHIDCL maybe exempted from obtaining Environmental Clearance. However, they were directed to take precautionary measures to avoid such accidents but they didn’t take heed.”
While maintaining the NHIDCL should have taken remedial measures, the official said that the former has some explaining to do and complying with the NPCB directive under the Environment (Protection) Act.
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