7 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Odisha's infrastructure plans in eco-zones to be reviewed by CEC
BHUBANESWAR: Odisha government's plans for tourism and infrastructure projects in sensitive zones of critical protected areas (PAs) of the state have drawn the notice of the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC).
The panel has now called for a meeting and asked chief secretary Manoj Ahuja to discuss crucial tourism and bridge infrastructure projects as well as the matter pertaining to eco sensitive zone (ESZ) finalisation. The meeting is scheduled on July 17 at New Delhi.
Sources said issues of governance and execution model for tourism infrastructure which have a bearing on sanctuaries, national parks, tiger reserve areas and Ramsar sites will be taken up by the CEC. Similarly, tourism projects requiring forest and ESZ clearances and stake of the Tourism department in ESZ finalisation will also be discussed.
The SC-constituted panel has also asked the principal chief conservator of forests (general), PCCF (wildlife) and Secretary, Tourism department to be take part in the meeting which will specifically discuss two critical infrastructure projects in the state.
One of the contentious projects is the proposed construction of a two-lane national highway over Chilika lagoon by the National Highways Authority of India. The 7.740 km project, estimated at a cost of around Rs 526.08 crore, had prompted the expert appraisal committee (EAC) of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to seek a cost-benefit analysis from the state government.
