Assam: EIA report of NH-127B Srirampur-Dhubri road section discovered with misleading environmental data

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental Management Plan (EMP) report for the NH-127B Srirampur-Dhubri road section has been discovered with alleged misrepresentation of environmental data.

The report, submitted in March 2020 by C.E. Testing Company Pvt. Ltd. to the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (NHIDCL), is accused of including inaccurate and misleading ecological details that could undermine the environmental integrity of the project.

According to the information available on the NHIDCL website, the report was prepared as part of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the highway's feasibility study and construction plan, assessing potential environmental impacts from Srirampur to the proposed Brahmaputra bridge approach near Adabari in Dhubri. However, several discrepancies have emerged, raising concerns over its authenticity.

 

One of the most glaring inaccuracies is the mention of Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary as an ecological habitat within the project’s indirect influence area, which is actually located in Golaghat district, over 500 km from the project site, the sanctuary has no relevance to the Dhubri landscape. Additionally, the report falsely lists the presence of the long-billed vulture, a species not found in this region, alongside other flora and fauna that do not naturally exist along the Srirampur-Dhubri stretch.

Environmentalists argue that such erroneous documentation could lead to flawed assessments and ineffective mitigation strategies. What is more alarming is that NHIDCL approved the report without apparent scrutiny, prompting concerns over the credibility of the regulatory review process.

“The inclusion of a wildlife sanctuary from a completely different district that do not exist in this region raises serious questions about the integrity of the report,” said an environmental activist familiar with the case. “If such misinformation is ignored, the entire environmental assessment process is compromised.”

With mounting concerns over the report’s accuracy, environmentalists and local stakeholders are calling for a thorough review of the data used in the feasibility study. 

Experts suggest an independent environmental audit to ensure that the project complies with ecological standards and does not lead to unforeseen environmental consequences.

If left unaddressed, the misreporting of crucial environmental data in large-scale infrastructure projects like NH-127B could set a dangerous precedent, potentially allowing unregulated construction that harms biodiversity and disrupts local communities reliant on natural resources.

While authorities have yet to respond to demands for a reassessment, calls for accountability continue to grow. 

Environmentalists and concerned citizens are urging NHIDCL and C.E. Testing Company Pvt. Ltd. to rectify the inaccuracies and uphold transparency in future environmental assessments.