Punjab Forest and Wildlife Department who levied the condition of 25 % of toll fee revenue sharing before the National Highway Authority of India; now had sacrificed the same saying they have no objection.
In the year 2019, a proposal for diversion of 21.746 hectares of forest land from Abohar Wildlife Sanctuary for Rehabilitation & Upgradation of the Abohar-Sito-Gunno-Dabwali Road from 5.50 kms to 22.50 kms of NH-354 E was put on the table of the National Board of Wildlife’s Standing Committee in the 54th meeting.
This also was including the construction of one High-Level Major Steel Bridge on EPC Mode to 2 lane road with paved shoulders. At that time, one of the conditions recommended by the Standing Committee, based on the recommendation of the Chief Wildlife Warden, Punjab was made.
The condition says that if any toll plaza is established on this road by the user agency in future even if outside of Abohar Wildlife Sanctuary, 25% of toll fee collected shall be shared by user agency with the Wildlife Department for undertaking wildlife conservation measures.
Now, on 8 October 2021, the NBWL (National Board for Wildlife)’s standing committee it is mentioned that the Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, by his letter dated 4th August 2021, has informed that the National Highway user fee is levied as per the NH Fee Rules, 2008 and that there is no provision for sharing of revenue with other organizations. He has, therefore, requested the Ministry to consider waiving the condition of sharing 25% of toll fee revenue with the Wildlife Department.
The Chief Wild Life Warden, R K Mishra Punjab said in the NBWL meeting that the road, which was earlier a State Highway, is now under the control of NHAI. He said that as the rules of NHAI do not permit sharing of revenue, the State Government does not have any objection to the removal of the condition of sharing 25% of toll fee revenue with the Wildlife Department.
Hence the Standing Committee decided to remove the condition of sharing 25% of toll fee revenue with the Wildlife Department which was imposed at the time of recommending the project.
On the other hand, the top officials of Punjab Forest and Wildlife Department while speaking to The Daily Guardian on the condition of anonymity called this attitude of Chief Wildlife Warden a chaotic one as the department is already suffering financial crunch and sacrificing on such conditions could prove fatal for conserving the wildlife.