Imported timber industries in Kutch likely

GANDHINAGAR - A six-member committee set up by the Supreme Court in the face of environmental concerns has agreed in principle that imported timber-based industries should be housed in the Kutch region of Gujarat, sources in the state government say.

The panel is on an on-the-spot tour following a host of environmental and wildlife concerns which have come up due to the high level of industrialisation taking place in Kutch in the post-earthquake period.

Kutch with its ports has become a hub of timber imports and the state government says related industries should be encouraged there since it will in a way help the country’s own timber wealth.

The panel on the second day of its two-day visit also heard complaints addressed by NGOs related to environmental concerns.

An area of core concern is the wild ass sanctuary in the Little Rann of Kutch through which power transmission lines of the Adani and Tata UltraMegapower projects will pass.

“We have represented to the panel that the right of passage of the wild ass will in no way be affected since the transmission lines will be on stilts and the water and petroleum products pipelines passing through the area will be embedded in the soil,” S.K. Nanda, principal secretary, environment and forests, Gujarat, told IANS here.

According to Nanda, there are no trees to be cut nor any construction activity likely to take place in the sanctuary area on this count. The panel is examining the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) pipeline and the Power Corporation of India transmission lines in the area.

The panel made impromptu visits to units to see for themselves whether only imported timber was being used and to enquire whether local timber was also finding its way there.

The panel was headed by P.V. Jayakrishnan, secretary, union ministry of environment and forests (MOEF); Mr M.K. Jiwrajka, member secretary, MOEF; director general, forests, Dilip Kumar; M.M. Muthut, former member FAO; Supreme Court lawyer Mahendra Vyas and former chief wildlife warden (Orissa) S.K. Patnaik.