PIL against wind farm near Gir forest

9/3/2017

PIL against wind farm near Gir forest

THE TIMES OF INDIA

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/pil-against-wind-farm-near-gir-forest/articleshow/57542957.cms

 

AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat high court on Wednesday sought reply from the state government in response to a PIL objecting to establishment of a windmill farm in the vicinity of reserved forest in Brihad Gir area in Amreli district.

Wildlife activist Biren Padhya has filed the PIL seeking HC intervention in the issue. He submitted that the forest department and residents of Bhekhra and Senjal village near Savarkundala have time and again informed Amreli district collector as well as the company that installs windmills - Inox Wind Infrastructure Services Ltd - to stop work.

 

The district authority did not respond to the requests to save wildlife in the area, which has got sizeable number of Asiatic lions, leopards and other schedule 1 animals. They claimed that the construction of windmills and movement of heavy vehicles would cause irreparable damage to wildlife in the area.

 

The petitioner has also submitted that the government wasteland and gaucher land was allotted to one Gujarat Floro Chemicals Ltd, which could not have transferred the land to a private party for wind farm. The petitioner has also alleged that the company has not obtained any NOC from the forest authorities for establishment of wind farm though it is very close to the forest area.

 

The petitioner has claimed that the laxity shown by the authorities is not in consonance with the observations made by the Supreme Court while deciding the case of translocation of the lions to Madhya Pradesh. He also submitted that 301 lions died in last five years and 168 of total 523 lions live outside the Gri sanctuary. Such activities, if allowed in the vicinity of the forest area, would prove disastrous for the Asiatic lions and other animals.

 

This case is to be heard further on March 29.