It is now apparent that the Project Governing Board headed by the chief secretary has yielded to pressure from the State (PWD) in permitting the road project. Although the first phase of the project was completed on October 31, 2007, Chief Secretary S V Ranganath, it is learnt, was misled by the PWD on the construction of the Mysore-Mananthvadi Road as part of the Karnataka State Highway Improvement Project.
In order to secure more funds for the State for its highway projects, PGB had given the green signal to develop 10 km of the 34.05 km stretch between Damanakatte and Udbur junction. Twenty-eight km of this road passes through the Nagarhole National Park. But there is an alternative route available for this 10 km, which is three km outside the original alignment.
Pending
When contacted, R B Agawane, Principal Secretary, PWD, had said the first phase was still pending and the World Bank would not release funds unless the project completion report was submitted.
Contrary to the statement by officials that ‘KSHIP I’ reports need to be submitted to the World Bank to avail loan for ‘KSHIP II’, a document from the World bank (Report No: ICR0000626, Implementation and completion result report) on the loan (US dollars 360 million) to KSHIP states that the project closure report was submitted on April 28, 2008, and the project was completed on October 31, 2007.
The World Bank report also states that it is not the Bank, but the Government of Karnataka which is funding the project as the regulatory clearance is pending with the Central Empowerment Committee (CEC).
“In Phase II, separate Environment Assessments (EA) were prepared for several roads to confirm the extent of adverse impacts on the sensitive environment habitats traversed by these roads. The clearances from Government Of India (GOI) were obtained for one of the two roads passing through the national park and sanctuary, with the necessary safeguards for protection being included in the works contracts. With regard to maintenance works (not upgrading or rehabilitation) on the other road (contract M32A for road corridor 10a) going through the Rajiv Gandhi National Park, the regulatory clearance from the Central Empowered Committee was still pending at the time of writing the ICR.
“A more rigorous EA and a stand-alone bio-diversity assessment should have been conducted for this road to strengthen the environmental control for maintenance works in the protected areas. Since the project is closed, the works on this road are being funded by the Government of Karnataka, “ the report says.
Loans disbursed
It is clear that all loans to KSHIP were fully disbursed by the end of project that is on February 29, 2008.
This clearly shows that the KSHIP Phase 1 has already ended and a completion report has been submitted to the World Bank. There is no relationship to the Phase 2 project of KSHIP.
Interestingly, the World Bank appears to be more environment-conscious than the Karnataka officials. In his May 7, 2008 reply (available with Deccan Herald) to a letter addressed to the World Bank President, Rachid Benmesesaoud, Acting Country Director says: “The bank understands that this maintainence work would be of minor nature and would not include widening the existing road within the park. The bank felt that the Environmental Action Plan prepared for these works was appropriate in view of the limited nature of work. In the end, the maintainence works were not funded under the Karnataka State Highway Improvement projects which closed on October 31, 2007.”
DH News Service