Title - Green concern over tourism project in North Bengal

KOLKATA: If conservationists have their way, the state's much-touted tourism project in Gajoldoba, 25kms from Siliguri, may face a green hurdle.

The proposed project site of over 200 acres is surrounded by the forests of Apalchand on east and Baikunthapur on west, which were to be notified as protected areas in 1995 when a clearance was granted to the lower Teesta Barrage project.

With the notification yet to be made, the members of the National Board of Wildlife have already pressured the state on this last March while giving a survey nod to the Sevoke-Rangpo rail link that will cut through another key protected area in North Bengal - the Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary.Now, the members of the state wildlife advisory board have asked the chief wildlife warden to include the issue on the agenda of their next board meeting, likely in November.If the forests get a conservation reserve or protected area status, the state may have to knock on the Centre's Union environment ministry's doors for the tourism hub project, which is so far sailing smooth.

National Board of Wildlife member M D Madhusudan said: "This place in the lower Teesta region is a key elephant corridor used by the jumbos for movements between the eastern and western banks of the river. The state should be careful while planning any project here."

According to state wildlife advisory board member Animesh Bose, a conservation reserve tag for the forests was proposed before, but the issue never featured on the agendas of any state wildlife board meeting. "Since the site also houses a big waterbody, which is used by several migratory birds every year, we want some protection in the area. It's not that we are against development activities, but some restriction is needed," he said.

Citing the example of the Alipore Zoo waterbody, which used to attract migratory birds till a big hotel project came up near it, another member of state wildlife advisory board Biswajit Roy Chowdhury said the state must take a cautious approach while clearing any project in Gajoldoba.

The waterbody at Gajoldoba witnesses arrival of over 150 species of migratory and resident birds every winter, including species like the long-tailed duck, smew, common golden eye, black-necked grebe and bar-headed goose. On an average 15,000 birds use this waterbody every winter.

Madhusudan also said: the Bengal government had promised to notify the lower region of Teesta river basin as a sanctuary earlier. "Since it's using a key forest patch for the Rangpo rail link now, it should first notify the forests of Baikunthapur and Apalchand as protected areas," he said, adding that "It's needed to be seen whether the site falls within a 10-km radius of Mahananda." Tourism minister Krishnendu Chowdhury made it clear the project would not come up near the forest. Though bids are still open, the state is not satisfied with the bidders who have shown interest in the project so far. "Big players are now lying low due to the statehood agitation in the Hills," he said.

The Rs 2000-crore project will house high-end lake resort, three and four-star resorts, budget hotels, spa, picnic park, golf course and cultural zone. With an eye to secure a place in the top-five travel destinations in India, the Bengal government has also added Sunderbans' Jharkhali as a destination to its tourism plans. The two projects will attract investments up to Rs 5,000 crore.