Rs 11 cr cleared by Assembly for sensor barriers in Kaziranga: Assam tells NGT

The Assam government today told the National Green Tribunal that a budgetary allocation of Rs 11 crore has been cleared by the assembly to install sensor-operated automated traffic barriers to check accidental deaths of animals near the Kaziranga National Park.

The state government informed a bench headed by acting NGT Chairperson Justice Jawad Rahim that the amount would be released immediately.

The Assam government also said that the tendering process for installation of the barriers in six areas inside the park has already been initiated and the date of opening of tender is May 14. The matter will now be heard on July 18.

The tribunal had earlier rejected the Assam government's proposal to engage manpower instead of installing sensor-operated traffic barriers to control the accidental deaths of animals near the Kaziranga National Park.

The state government had proposed to engage additional manpower to monitor the animal corridor stretch of the NH-37 which passes from Jakhalabandha to Bokakhat along the reserve.

It had last year told the tribunal that it had already spent an amount of Rs 1.45 crore on installation of animal sensor barriers at Malini in the national park stretch to check speeding vehicles on the NH-37. Another amount of Rs 39 lakh would be needed to purchase of two more thermal cameras for installation at the same place, it had said.

Since required funds were not available in the budget, the state government had decided to submit a supplementary demand in the next session of the assembly.

The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by wildlife activist Rohit Choudhury opposing the widening of NH-37 which passes from Jakhalabandha to Bokakhat along the reserve.

The tribunal had earlier said that any vehicle found crossing the 40-km speed limit on the NH-37 will have to pay an environment compensation of Rs 5,000, besides a fine under the Motor Vehicles Act.