EAC okays capital ring road through Kapilash sanctuary, experts see red

The expert appraisal committee (EAC) of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has approved the proposed six-lane Capital Region Ring Road (CRRR)'s Gobindpur-Tangi stretch with at least one kilometer passing through the core zone of Kapilash wildlife sanctuary, raising concerns among conservationists.

- SUDARSAN MAHARANA @ Bhubaneswar

Kapilash is a major elephant habitat and, at the same time, a flashpoint for man-animal conflict.

Sources said the EAC, in its meeting held on May 14 and 15, recommended grant of environmental clearance for the construction of the Gobindpur-Tangi stretch of the 111 km CRRR to the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) under the Bharatmala scheme. The project seeks to link Rameswar in Khurda to Tangi.

The stretch from Gobindpur village in Dhenkanal to Bandalo toll plaza near Tangi in Cuttack under CRRR will have a total length of about 40.33 km. However, at least 1 km of the alignment of the road project will pass through Kapilash wildlife sanctuary in Dhenkanal. The proposed alignment will also pass through 45 water bodies, including five canals, nine ponds, and 31 nullahs.