Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 21: In a significant development, the National Wildlife Board has given clearance to the construction of aerial ropeway at hill resort of Patnitop while as Patnitop Development Authority (PDA) has written to the Central Empowered Committee of the Supreme Court for early inspection of site.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that Standing Committee of National Wildlife Board in its 25th meeting held at Union Capital two days back accorded clearance to the construction of aerial ropeway at Patnitop, which is of immense importance for attracting more tourists to this spot. In the meeting, Jammu and Kashmir was represented by Chief Wildlife Warden and Chief Executive Officer of the Patnitop Development Authority.
“The clearance from the National Wildlife Board was imperative as the aerial ropeway project falls just one kilometer from the Sudhmahadev Wildlife Reserve while as the guidelines say that any project should be at least 10 kilometer away from any wildlife sanctuary or reserve”, sources said, adding “the National Wildlife Board has given nod to the construction of ropeway as there is not much wildlife in the Sudhmahadev Reserve”.
The project has already received the approval of the State Wildlife Board and clearance from the Expert Appraisal Committee of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. The environment clearance was given on January 24, 2012 while as State Wildlife Board cleared the project in the month of July 2012.
Meanwhile, the Patnitop Development Authority has made a formal request to the Central Empowered Committee of the Supreme Court for deputing a team to carry out site inspection as was decided on July 20, 2012.
“The Empowered Committee wants to see whether the information furnished by the PDA on various aspects is in consonance with the ground situation”, sources said, adding “since PDA has furnished whatever information sought by the Empowered Committee particularly with regard to environmental concerns and the steps taken on the conditions laid down by the Expert Appraisal Committee the project is likely to get nod of the Empowered Committee also”.
According to the Detailed Project Report (DPR), the project involves construction and operation of a passenger aerial ropeway and associated facilities at Kud, Sangote and Karlah. The ropeway will pass through compartment 95/C of Dudu Forest Range and will be almost one kilometer away from compartment 99 of Sudhmahadev Conservation Reserve.
One base terminal station of the ropeway would be at a point close to the 99 kilometer milestone on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway 1A while as the intermediate terminal will be near Sangote village and the same will be 1269 meter away from the base terminal and at an elevation of 254 meter below the base terminal.
The upper terminal will be at Patnitop close to Hotel Vardan at a distance of 2618 meter from the intermediate terminal and at an elevation of 694 meter above the intermediate terminal. The total length of the ropeway will be 2.6 kilometer with 23 trolleys.
The total power requirement for the ropeway has been worked out to be around 750 KVA. For all other activities such as resort, amusement park, shops etc, it is estimated that a further 250 KVA power would be required.
The State Government has already agreed in principle to provide the necessary power at the terminal stations. The total water requirement would be 59 KLD which will be met through the local streams and a rain water harvesting plant has also been proposed to be constructed at village Sangote.
A total of 124 trees of different species within a corridor of 10 meters (5 meters on either side of the center line of the ropeway) would be axed. As the forest exists on both sides of alignment, there is no possibility of adverse effects of wind on the system. However, wind speed meters will be installed at all critical locations.
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