NGT rejects Airstrip plan in Pachmarhi, citing eco-sensitive zone

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) rejected the Madhya Pradesh government's plan to build an airstrip in Pachmarhi due to environmental concerns. Pachmarhi is within the buffer zone of the Satpura Tiger Reserve and classified as an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ). The NGT ruled that allowing a 19-seater plane to land would generate significant noise pollution, harming regional wildlife.

The tribunal stated that instead of constructing a new airstrip in Pachmarhi, the government should expand and extend the existing airstrip in the Satpura Tiger Reserve to 1800 meters. The central government has also been urged to identify an alternative location outside the ESZ for the airstrip.

The project faced scrutiny after retired pilot Brijesh Kumar Bharadwaj of Chhindwara filed a petition against the expansion of the non-functional Pachmarhi airstrip. Construction began without required approvals from the Ministry of Environment, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), and the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department. The NGT had halted the project over a year ago, and the case had been pending since then.

The NGT highlighted that airports and commercial airstrips are "red category" industries under Madhya Pradesh's industrial classification. This means the project required environmental clearance and approval from pollution control authorities, which had not been obtained.

The Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB) must finalize standard operating procedures with the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). Reputed institutes will conduct an environmental damage assessment like IITs, NITs, or NEERI to evaluate the project's impact.

Since Pachmarhi is home to tigers and endangered vultures, the tribunal stressed the need for studies on the impact of flight operations on terrestrial and avian wildlife before any development. The Madhya Pradesh government has been asked to explore alternative sites outside the protected area for the airstrip.

Construction or expansion in the Pachmarhi ESZ is prohibited without environmental and wildlife clearances.

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