There is again a fresh bout of face off between the north division of the tiger reserve Palamu and the Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd. And it is with regard to the third railway line.
Sources said the Rail Vikas Nigam Limited, project implementation unit Ranchi, has 'advised with utmost caution' to commence works between KMND - CPDR section which for the common users is between the Kumandi railway station and the Chhipadohar railway station of the east central railways of the Dhanbad division of the railways.
The Rail Vikas Nigam Limited has advised to be strictly within the railway 'RoW' which is right of way.
The railway works are varied like demarcation, laying of sleepers and tracks, bridges, signalling system,uprooting of trees etc all for the third railway line which on completion will see together with two railway lines of yester decades,120 to 130 traffic of trains a day in the core area of tiger reserve Palamu.
Sources said much the Rail Vikas Nigam Limited speaks of its right of way, the crux of the issue is that commencement of railway works between KMND and CPDR section is resisted by the north division authorities of the tiger reserve Palamu.
Sources said the tiger reserve officials did not allow commencement of railway works between KMND and CPDR section today.
A head on tussle is most evident between the Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd and the tiger reserve Palamu, said sources. Lower rung railway officials refuse to speak to the media saying they are not competent to speak to the media.
Hence it is always the version of the tiger reserve Palamu that comes first and handy.
Kumar Ashish deputy director North division of the tiger reserve Palamu said today we have disallowed the Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd to commence works between KMND and CPDR section.
He said we did this as our state board of wild life Jharkhand whose chairman is the chief minister who holds the forest environment and climate change department, presiding over the state board of wild life meeting on 3.2.2022 had not recommended for the railway works between KMND - CPDR section citing adverse effects on the habitat and wildlife besides the fragmentation of the tiger reserve Palamu.
Kumar Ashish said the state board of wild life matters most in such issues which involves national park, tiger reserve, wildlife habitat and when the state board of wild life has declined to recommend railway works, the Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd has no right to commence work.
The deputy director North division of the tiger reserve Palamu said we have written to the DC and the SP Latehar to ensure that Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd does not violate the no recommendation resolution of the chairman of the state board of wildlife.
