Rlys game for 2 of 3 proposals to minimise green damage The Hubli-Ankola railway project has cleared another hurdle with the Railways accepting two of the three recommendations of a committee comprising engineers of the Indian Institute of Science. The committee had been set up to suggest alternative routes for the project in the wake of severe opposition from greens to the construction of the key railway line as it would harm the biodiversity of the Western Ghats. It had submitted its report on December 9, 2011 to the central empowered committee. Officials of the South Western Railway in Hubli said that no spot in Uttara Kannada district through which the alternative line passes has been included in the list of world heritage sites by Unesco. Hence, there was no hurdle, as of now, for the railway project, they said. Railway sources said they could take alternative measures to prevent damage to the environment and harm to wildlife, even if these spots were included in the biodiversity heritage list. The IISc team proposes that the route of the railway line from 76th km to 86th km be changed and the tracks laid alongside the National Highway-63 on this stretch. Change of route The report also suggests that the route be changed from 86th km to 100th km that passes through dense forest. It has also recommended that the stretch from the 114th km to the 134th km be changed as that is prone to landslides. While the department has accepted the first two recommendations, it is not game to the third one as it involves building a 12-km tunnel through the stretch mentioned in the third recommendation. A 12.2-metre elephant corridor is coming up on this stretch, thus negating the possibility of constructing the tunnel on 60 hectares. Bypassing this land would increase the tunnel length by 208 metres and an escalation of cost by Rs 181.49 crore, said Railway authorities. A meeting was held in Bangalore on December 31, 2011, chaired by the additional chief secretary, to discuss the committee report. NOC sought The principal secretary to the State department of infrastructure has written to the union ministry of environment and forests and the State government seeking a no objection certificate for the project, in the light of the Railways accepting the report of the committee of the IISc engineers. Meanwhile, environmentalist Jagadish Krishnaswami said the Aghanashini and Dandeli reserve forests were home to the Anashi leopard park, panthers, elephants, several species of monkeys and reptiles. The forests also house several flora species. Hence, these areas should be included in the heritage list, Krishnaswami said, adding that he had written to Unesco in this regard.