Road through Corbett
throwing the Wildlife and Forest Conservation Act to the winds, Uttar Pradesh government has authorised the construction of a road deep inside the Ramnagar forest division of the Corbett Tiger Reserve. The road running from Ramnagar to Patkot will cut through prime forests, tiger habitat and migratory corridors of elephants.
Construction of the road is in progress and nearly 750 metres stretch has been completed. More than 150 teak trees have been felled and part of the hill has also been cut through. This has reduced the area under reserved forests.
The Wildlife and Forest Conservation Act clearly specifies that such construction cannot be undertaken in the reserved forest area without the permission of the ministry of environment and forests and that none of the trees can be felled and the natural habitat of wild animals cannot be disturbed in anyway.
The green signal for the road was given in 1996 on the insistence of the then Congress mp from Nainital Narain Dutt Tiwari. Environmentalists fear that it will encourage human activity in the forest.