Scrutinizing Developmental Projects Effecting Natural Habitats and Wild Life

Developmental projects which encroach upon natural habitats and wild life should be carefully screened to assess the degree of adverse affects they cause. The following types of economic development projects may be included in the category of projects which require a close scrutiny and environmental impact assessment:

1. Agricultural and animal husbandry projects.

2 Projects for transportation, such as building of roads railway tracks etc.

3. Hydroelectric projects.

4. Industrial and mining projects.

These projects affect natural habitats and wild life directly or indirectly. Needless to say human needs are going to get priority over the concern for habitats and wild life. Expansion of agriculture and animal husbandry shall occur in future only if the food supplies from existing sources fall short of the human requirements.

If we intensify our agriculture and animal husbandry, modify our food habits, distribute and share the surplus judiciously in such a way that the produce from the existing sources is enough for our needs there will be little necessity of agricultural expansion.

Just and equitable distribution of resources is equally important in this connection. To-day the world produces enough to meet the requirement of all people living on earth’s surface. However, about 39% of the global grain production is fed to live-stock while 12 out of every 100 people in the world go hungry.

Transportation projects which involve the construction of highways, roads, railways or canals pierce through natural habitats slicing them into pieces. A busy highway or railway track has somewhat the same effect on a natural system as caused by habitat fragmentation.

This results in reduction in the capacity of the natural habitat to sustain the viable populations of some species which are either driven away or eliminated altogether. There is an over-all reduction of biodiversity. The roads, railways or canals also make the area accessible and there is an influx of human establishments which further damages the natural habitat. Thus as far as possible transportation projects should by-pass the biologically significant habitats. Where they are absolutely necessary care should be taken to provide compensatory management components.

Hydroelectric projects involve development of large reservoirs and water diversion schemes which submerge large area of land or drastically transform aquatic as well as terrestrial habitats. The programmes of water shed protection and construction of power lines etc. may disturb natural localities.

These projects are usually developed in rock filled areas where mountainous terrain provides suitable damming site for storage of water. The rock strata beneath the reservoirs have to bear the pressure exerted by the standing mass of water table. The stored water percolates down raising the water table of the area which also adds significantly to the transformation of the locality.

Silting and sedimentation shortens the life span of the hydroelectric project which has to be protected by a proper water-shed management programme. The large hydroelectric projects which are usually multipurpose projects bring about tremendous changes in a natural habitat. These require a very careful risk-benefit or cost-benefit analysis before they are implemented.

Industries and mining projects involve chemical and thermal pollution of surrounding localities and are generally never friendly to the environment. They should be located as far as possible away from biologically significant areas and proper measures should be taken to treat and minimize the harms caused by the effluents discharged from the industry or mining project.