Guwahati – The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental Management Plan (EMP) report for the NH-127B Srirampur-Dhubri road section has come under intense scrutiny due to alleged misrepresentation of ecological data.
The report, submitted in March 2020 by C.E. Testing Company Pvt. Ltd. to the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (NHIDCL), is accused of containing inaccurate and misleading information, raising concerns over the environmental integrity of the project.
The report, prepared as part of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the highway’s feasibility study and construction, was meant to assess the potential environmental impacts of the Srirampur-Dhubri stretch, particularly the proposed Brahmaputra Bridge approach near Adabari. However, several significant discrepancies have emerged, calling into question the authenticity of the entire environmental assessment.
One of the most glaring errors involves the inclusion of Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary, located more than 500 km away in Golaghat district, as part of the project’s indirect influence area.
The sanctuary, which bears no ecological connection to the Dhubri region, was erroneously cited as part of the area affected by the proposed highway.
Furthermore, the report inaccurately lists species such as the long-billed vulture, which is not native to the region, alongside flora and fauna that do not exist along the proposed route.
Environmentalists have raised alarms, arguing that such misrepresentations could lead to faulty assessments and inadequate mitigation measures. The fact that the NHIDCL approved the report without a thorough review has prompted serious concerns about the credibility of the regulatory process.
An environmental activist closely following the case remarked, “The inclusion of a wildlife sanctuary from a completely different district raises serious questions about the integrity of the report. If such glaring misinformation is overlooked, the entire environmental assessment process could be compromised.”
In light of these issues, environmentalists, along with local stakeholders, are calling for a comprehensive review of the data used in the feasibility study. Experts have suggested an independent environmental audit to ensure that the project meets ecological standards and does not result in unintended environmental harm.
The mishandling of crucial environmental data in major infrastructure projects like NH-127B could set a dangerous precedent, potentially allowing unchecked construction that negatively impacts biodiversity and disrupts the livelihoods of local communities dependent on the region’s natural resources.
While authorities have yet to respond to calls for a reassessment, demands for transparency and accountability are growing louder. Environmentalists and concerned citizens are urging NHIDCL and C.E. Testing Company Pvt. Ltd. to correct the inaccuracies and ensure more robust, transparent environmental assessments in the future.
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