CAIRN INDIA’S DRILLING PLAN MAY RISK WILDLIFE IN ASSAM
An approval by the Union environment ministry for exploratory oil and gas drilling in parts of Assam may put the endangered hoolock gibbon at further risk. Cairn India, the oil and gas unit of the Anil Agarwal-promoted Vedanta Ltd wants to use 4.4998ha of reserved forest land for oil and gas exploration drilling in the notified eco-sensitive zone of the Hoollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary, official documents show. While the forest advisory committee (FAC) of the ministry has deferred its decision, according to minutes of its meeting dated July 4, the project has the blessings of both the state government and the regional office of the environment ministry.
And while the area may seem small, experts cite that the gibbon is a canopy dweller, and that any break, however small, in the existing canopy in its habitat could be a risk. The FAC observed that comments from the principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) or the chief wildlife warden from a conservation point of view along with a wildlife conservation plan may be obtained by the state government on Cairn India’s proposal.
The presence of hoolock gibbons, elephants and leopards has been reported in the area proposed for diversion. The DFO, Jorhat, has mentioned in Part-II of the form that “elephants, hoolock gibbons, leopards, etc are present in the area but added that the project is in a relatively small area and no major construction is anticipated. “Hence the impact will be minimal and, if necessary, a wildlife management and mitigation plan shall be prepared and all precautions shall be taken to cause minimal disturbance to wildlife and to mitigate man-animal conflict,” he added.