Revived Gargai Dam project will decimate western ghats ecology: BNHS

The Bombay Natural History Society BNHS wrote a letter to Bhupender Yadav Union minister of environment forest and climate change on July 21 vehemently opposing the Gargai dam project stating among other things that if the structure were constructed it would restrict the movement of wildlife in the Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary in Palghar district and the northern western ghats Wildlife experts also feel that it is crucial to leave this vital wildlife corridor untouchedThe letter a copy of which is in middayrsquos possession states that Modak Sagar and Tansa dams have been built over the Vaitarna and Tansa rivers which flow through the sanctuary and restrict the free movement of wildlife Gargai dam will further restrict the movement of wildlife in the sanctuary as well as in the northern western ghats it readsThe Gargai dam project would destroy the habitat of the endangered forest owlet according to the BNHS and experts PicsRanjeet JadhavThe lettermdashsent by Kishor Rithe the theninterim director of BNHS to the minister for environment forest and climate change and chairman of the standing committee of the National Board for Wildlifemdash stated that the society would like to place on record its objection to the proposed project that is to be constructed by submerging almost 83902 ha of forest spread over Thane and Palghar districts It also mentions that the sanctuary is a part of the Western Ghats one of the worldrsquos eight hottest biodiversity hotspots and a UNESCO World Heritage SiteResearch citedldquoAs per the project report prepared by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC around 4OO0OO trees would be submerged BNHS had already conducted the study at the proposed site during 201516 and documented the grasses herbs shrubs climbers and fungi that provide micro and macro habitats to vertebrate and invertebrate fauna The proposed area also supports the endangered forest owlet Afhene Heterogolux Blewittii which was presumed to be extinct All these species would be affected due to the proposed project This project would destroy the habitat of the forest owlet invaluable forest ecosystem in and around the sanctuary and will have longlasting negative ecological consequencesrdquo the letter reads Drawing attention to the arearsquos biodiversity the letter mentions that BNHS has included wildlife sanctuary as an important bird area based on 212 species of avians recorded by birders as well as the published checklist of birdsRich biodiversityldquoBNHS also did an extensive biodiversity assessment of the sanctuary on behalf of the BMC and recorded 140 species of avifauna including the forest owlet as well as mammals insects invertebrates etc A survey done by the Zoological Survey of India ZSl in 1992 revealed the presence of over 50 species of mammals including the common leopard Indian chevrotain sambar leopard cat rustyspotted cat Indian porcupine ruddy mongoose small Indian civet striped hyena and Indian pangolin The ZSI recommended Tansa to be declared as a sanctuary to protect the fourhorned antelope which has a restricted distribution in the Western Ghats Tigers were sighted here till the 1980s ln 2011 Habenorio longicorniculoto an orchid species endemic to India was recorded at the sanctuary by a team of botanists from St Xavierrsquos College Mumbairdquo The letter also states a Rapid Biodiversity Assessment undertaken by the Corbett Foundation recorded over 400 species of flora fauna and fungi in just an eighthday survey of the areas in the sanctuaryWildlife habitat connectivityStressing the important aspect of the wildlife habitat connectivity the letter states that Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary is contiguous with the forest areas of the northern western ghats landscape such as with Kalsubai Harishchandragad Wildlife Sanctuary Thane Forest Division Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary Sanjay Gandhi National Park SGNP and Wada and Jawahar Forest divisionsldquoPrevious research indicates that Tungareshwar Kalsubai and Tansa sanctuaries can be connected through corridors having an approximate total length of 154 km and mean width of 11 km on the northeast side and 365 km on the east side Kale et al 2010rdquo the letter states The letter also claims that the dam which would cause bout three lakh trees at the wildlife sanctuary to be submerged would have a range of adverse effectsldquoThousands of hectares of biodiversityrich forest areas have already been submerged to provide water to Mumbai by constructing dams in Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary and its surrounding forest areas and the SGNP In this context it would be advisable to make investments to prevent water leakage and wasteful consumption establish tertiary sewage treatment plants across the city reuse treated water for nondrinking purposes set up desalination plants to meet the needs of drinking water and carry out effective rainwater harvesting to augment the water supply to meet the demands of the city rather than invest thousands of crores in constructing the ecologically devastating damrdquo the letter reads The letter also points out that it is necessary to look at the sanctuary as more than just a ldquolarge water storage tankrdquo for MumbaiExpert SpeakWildlife conservationist Kedar Gore of the Corbett Foundation said that the Tansa forest is contiguous with the forested areas of Thane Palghar and Nashik and also has connectivity with the Kalsubai Harishchandragad Wildlife Sanctuary and the Thane Forest Division ldquoFrom here it connects to the Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary and SGNP Wada and Jawhar Forest Divisions Itrsquos not a mere forest Tansa is a vital catchment for the Vaitarna Tansa and Gargai rivers all lifelines for local communities and wildlife In 1986 two tigers were sighted near Suryamal by local tribals and forest department staff Recognising the ecological significance of Tansa an ecosensitive zone ESZ of 625 sq km around the sanctuary covering 145 villages in Shahapur Bhiwandi Mokhada and Wada tehsils has been notified If Tansa continues to be as illtreated as it has been over decades it will be just a matter of time before this beautiful forest is lost forever The sanctuary and surrounding forests are crucial for climate moderation stocking aquifers keeping viruses in check and sequestering and storing carbonrdquolsquoCorridors are crucialrsquoRohidas Dagale former member of the Maharashtra State Board for Wildlife said ldquoThe proposed Gargai dam area is densely forested and serves as a vital wildlife corridor for leopards jungle cats endangered rustyspotted cats striped hyenas Indian porcupines and other species The dam will have a substantial impact on this biodiversityrich area and hinder wildlife movement in the wildlife sanctuary and the northern western ghats Wildlife corridors are critical for biodiversity conservation because they provide interconnected channels for animals to travel between fragmented habitats These corridors promote gene flow increase population viability and aid species in adapting to environmental changesrdquo140No of avifauna species recorded at site2011Year orchid species was recorded at sanctuary