The Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has been on a two-day visit to the proposed Girnar ropeway project site in Junagadh since yesterday, and is likely to submit a report on it soon.

In February, the Ministry of Environment and Forests had given its “in principle” approval to the project. However, CEC's clearance is necessary to start the construction work.

“The committee members have visited the site and are expected to submit a report on it within three weeks,” Mr Sudeep Kumar Nanda, Principal Secretary to the Environment and Forests Ministry to Gujarat government told PTI over phone.

Mr Nanda, along with the Chief Wildlife Conservator of Forests (Gujarat), Mr Pradeep Kumar Khanna, and other senior officials of the Forest Department provided details regarding the project to CEC members.

After meeting the committee members, they said they are hopeful about CEC clearance to Usha Breco company's proposal to build Girnar ropeway. “This clearance is a must for starting the construction activity in the sanctuary area,” a company official said.

The project was being opposed by environmentalists on the grounds that it would threaten the near-extinct species of the long-billed vultures, as Girnar region alone accounts for about 10 per cent of the total vulture population in Gujarat.

The Centre's approval became mandatory only after the Girnar reserve forest was, in May, 2008, declared the Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary, a new habitat for the Gir lions. About 20 Asiatic Lions were estimated to have opted out of the adjacent Gir forest and were living in the Girnar sanctuary.

Published on November 20, 2011