Road construction upsets wild habitats
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 08 2021: Construction of road networks through unclassified forest areas has severely affected habitats of wild animals.

Phungyar AC MLA K Leishiyo made a direct assessment of the development works undertaken in Kamjong district during the last three years on last Tuesday and Wednesday.

The MLA and his team first inspected the construction work of Kamjong-Kongkan Thana Road.

Speaking to this reporter in the course of the inspection tour, K Leishiyo said that habitats of wild animals have shrunk drastically as roads constructed through unclassified forest areas in the hill districts have steep and high slopes.

Talking about the Kamjong-Kongkan Thana Road which is being constructed by BIPL with funds provided by the NEC, the MLA said that movement of wild animals has been severely impeded by construction of roads on high elevations.

With their habitats shrinking day by day, the wild animals may face extinction after some years, Leishiyo said.

There are vast forest land in Kamjong area and it is quite close to the Ango hill range of Myanmar (Burma) .

As such, wild animals found in these two regions used to move to and fro.

But the wild animals now find it difficult to move between Kamjong and Ango hills following construction of roads on high altitude with steep slopes through the unclassified forest areas, said the MLA.

Wild animals which usually came from Ango hills are no longer seen in the forest areas of Kamjong.

Roads are important.

At the same time, construction of roads should be done in such a manner that it does not affect natural habitat of wild animals, Leishiyo said.

It is not only wild animals, roads constructed at high altitude with steep slopes have impeded movement of people for gathering forest produces, he said.

The MLA's team included SDO Kamjong, BIPL engineers, EBADA Project Director and officials of Kamjong district administration, and they made spot assessment of the development works currently underway as well as other projects which would be taken up shortly.

Noting that the qualitative aspect has been greatly compromised in constructing a Sadbhavna Mandap at Kamjong district headquarters, the MLA asked the concerned contractor/firm to halt the construction work until the flaw is rectified.

It is said that the MLA has been negotiating with the Kamjong Village Authority for donation of necessary land by the latter in order to develop an education zone within a notified zone of Kamjong district headquarters.

One residential school would also be constructed within the notified area.

Apart from interacting with villagers of several villages on different development programmes, the MLA and his team reviewed works taken up under EBADA.

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