12 hours Ago By Himanshu Nitnaware
The proposed hydro power project in Shahbad tehsil of Rajasthan will adversely impact the movement and well-being of cheetahs currently present in Kuno National Park of Madhya Pradesh, an environment activist has claimed. Prashant Patni and advocate and environment activist, has raised concerns in a memorandum to the government over the hydro power project assigned to Greenko Energy Pvt Ltd. The letter, dated April 1, is addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The central government has allocated 408 hectares of land for the project, which lies in the Shahbad forest protected area. The project is estimated to generate 1,800 megawatt electricity at the cost of 125,000 trees. Patani however alleged that more than 400,000 trees would be felled for the proposed project.
“The project, if it continues, would impact the biodiversity and wildlife in the area. The area of the Kuno National Park, situated in adjoining Madhya Pradesh, is too small for the big cat, while the new plant will destroy the cheetah corridor,” he said in the letter. India introduced 20 cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa in 2022 and 2023 which have now made Kuno their new home.
Patni said the National Tiger Conservation Authority has earmarked the 17,000 sq km landscape from Kuno to Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary for the first phase of Project Cheetah. The forest area of Shahabad lies between the Madhav National Park and the cheetah corridor, which will be disrupted by the proposed project. “The hydro power project would make an adverse impact on the movement and well-being of cheetahs,” he added.
Besides, the forest area is known to house 450 medicinal plant species and endangered vultures are known to nest in the trees of the forest. He highlighted that the jungle sequesters about 22.5 lakh metric tons of carbon dioxide, crucial to mitigate the increasing impacts of climate change.
Patni suggested that alternate ways should be used to create clean electricity, without jeopardising the well-being of the environment. “Kota and Bundi could be alternate spaces where the forest area is less,” he added. He noted that the government should abide by the statement made by environment minister Bhupender Yadav on March 3.
Yadav had said on the occasion, “We do not believe in conflict between ecology and economy, but give importance to co-existence between the two.”.
