While granting ‘in-principal’ approval to Gujarat’s controversial Girnar ropeway project on Monday, Central Enviornment and Forest minister Jairam Ramesh has stated that the ropeway if built would minimize man-animal conflict in the Girnar wildlife sanctuary. Jairam has termed this as ‘a new concern’.

“Although I have received numerous representations against the ropeway on environmental grounds (primarily the anticipated adverse impacts on vulture habitats), I have seen for myself the strong reasons to build the ropeway. It would minimize man-animal conflict in the Girnar wildlife sanctuary(a new concern),” said Ramesh in his letter of ‘in-principal’ approval to the project.

He adds, “I have personally visited the site on January 27th, 2011. I have also had a detailed discussion on this project with BNHS, with the state government officials, with Dr. Divyabhanusinh Chvda and Dr. Nita Shah who conducted the site visit and have also met with local organizations and citizens in Junagadh.”

Jairam also stated that the ropeway would provide a convenient way of transporting thousands of pilgrims daily to the holy spots on Mount Girnar. “It would also put an end to socially unacceptable modes of transportation(the dolis) that are being used presently,” Jairam believes.

Jairam in his letter of ‘in-principal’ approval confesses that Wildlife experts who visited the site of the proposed project were against granting approval.

“At my suggestion, a technical group of the standing Committee of National Board for Wildlife(NBWL) had visited this site on December 21-22, 2010. This two-person group advised against construction of a ropeway because it could lead to the local extinction of the “Girnari Giddh”, a critically endangered species listed in schedule 1 under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972,” said Jairam.

However he adds that, “the Girnari Giddh population that is going to be affected by the ropeway project is between 20-25% of the total population of long-billed vultures in Gujarat but less than 10% of the population of vultures in the state.”

Jairam in his letter of ‘in-principal’ approval to Girnar ropeway project hinted out how Gujarat government itself made the path of progress of this project bumpy. “The ropeway project has been hanging fire since September 1995. But it is only after the declaration of the Girnar Reserve Forest as the Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary in May 2008, that Central Government approval has been necessitated. Thus, for the period between 1995 and 2008, there was no need for any Central Government approval had the state government decided to go ahead with the project.”

Jairam also adds that the declaration of the Giarnar Reserve Forest as Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary was a welcome step. This created a new habitat for the Gir lion and a population of 20-25 lions is now resident in the Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary which covers about 180 sq.kms.

Related reports
Experts oppose, but I see strong reasons to build Girnar ropeway:Jairam Ramesh
Gujarat Congress President rushed to Delhi to get credit
Six conditions imposed for Girnar ropeway project’s approval
Jairam Ramesh arrives to decide the fate of Girnar ropeway
So what did Jairam Ramesh say on the fate of Girnar ropeway
Jairam on project clearance spree
69 rare vultures live at proposed Girnar rope-way location