Environment ministry orders cost-benefit analysis of bridge over Chilika lake

Chilika Lake is known for its endangered Irrawady Dolphins as well as millions of migratory birds that flock the brackish water lagoon every winter

NEW DELHI: An expert panel of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has ordered a cost-benefit analysis of a 7.74 km long bridge proposed to be built at a cost of ₹526 crore over the eco-sensitive Chilika Lake.

Chilika lake, the largest brackish water lake in India which is spread across the districts of Puri, Khurda and Ganjam in Odisha is an important wetland of the country. (HT File Photo)

The bridge is part of the Bharatmala project of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).

Chilika Lake is known for its endangered Irrawady Dolphins as well as millions of migratory birds that flock the brackish water lagoon every winter.

The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the ministry in its order last week said a cost-benefit analysis (CBA) needs to be done for a comparison of impact of construction of the bridge and that of existing boat movement in the lake.

The recommendation for a CBA came after the chief executive officer of State-run Chilika Development Authority and Puri district collector informed the Ministry that fishing boats used for livelihood and tourism are the only connection for the five villages in the lake but pose a serious environmental threat.

The proposed project under the Bharatmala Pariyojana, an ambitious road network scheme, aims to connect national highways 516A and 316 through Chilika Lake. The proposed project, as planned by the NHAI, starts from NH-316 near Satpada connecting Berhampura, Janhikuda, Khairasahi, Patanasi and Golpur villages and terminates on NH-516A in Krushnaprashad block of Puri.

The project will provide last mile connectivity between Janhikuda and Satpada, reducing the road length to only 5.5 km as compared to the present length of 238 km through NH-16, NH-316A and NH-516A. The distance between Berhampur town and Puri will be reduced by 135 km once the bridge materialises.

As the project will pass through at a distance of around 8 km from Nalabana (Chilika) wildlife sanctuary and around 3.4 km of it will fall in the draft 10 km Eco Sensitive Zone boundary, the ministry sent a subcommittee of the EAC last week to visit the lake to make a further assessment before environmental clearance is given.

The stretch will also pass through Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ)-I (B).

The ministry also sought clarification from NHAI for the necessity of constructing the bridge project.

Chilika lake, the largest brackish water lake in India which is spread across the districts of Puri, Khurda and Ganjam in Odisha is an important wetland of the country.

A survey of the fauna at Chilika by the Zoological Survey of India in 1985-87 recorded over 800 species in and around the lagoon. The list includes a number of rare, threatened and endangered species including the Barakudia limbless skink. It is one of the hotspots of biodiversity in the country, and some rare, vulnerable and endangered species listed in the IUCN Red List of threatened Animals inhabit the Lake area for at least a part of their life cycle.

On account of its rich bio-diversity, Chilika Lake was designated as a “Ramsar Site”, i.e. a wetland of International Importance.

Opposing the project, several activists have said that a massive public movement would soon start if the proposal was not dropped.

“The construction of this bridge will destroy the natural environment and biodiversity of Chilika and will have a profound impact on the livelihood of the local residents. The proposed bridge will pose a threat to Chilika. The construction materials used for this will pollute Chilika during the construction of the bridge. After the construction of the bridge, thousands of vehicles will pass on the bridge which will have a negative impact on the environment of Chilika. The movement of fish, dolphins, etc. will be hampered. Chilika is gradually silting up and the flow of water over the bridge will block the water. Building the proposed bridge over Chilika would sound the death knell of the lake,” said Sudarshan Das, an activist.