Ramesh's visit has been scheduled since a long time, but was being delayed. The project has been lying in limbo since over a decade after its inception. Wildlife activists are protesting against the project on the premise that the trees on the hill are home to 69 vultures - a highly endangered species on the verge of extinction.
The ropeway, they have contested, will disturb their nesting and they will perish. On this contention, the MoEF had earlier denied permission. But with the Gujarat government resending the proposal, Ramesh has decided to personally visit the site to decide whether wildlife will be hampered or not by the project.
Even though the Congress and BJP are united on bringing this project, sources have confided that a recently submitted report by the NBWLI is not much in favour of the project. "However, the minister will take the final call. He will meet the locals there, officials of the company that will implement the project and of course, the forest department officials and gauge the situation," a source said.
The ropeway project was given to Usha Breco, the company that operates the ropeway in Pavagadh, to be implemented at a cost of Rs89.31 crore. With 18 cabins, the ropeway will be able to transport 2,000 people in an hour. The ropeway is expected increase the tourist flow to the area substantially, which will directly benefit the local community, which explains the unanimous political support. "But the increased human activity will in fact not disturb the wildlife as they will be in the air.
Currently, pilgrims walk up the hill, disturbing the wildlife, with the ropeway, the disturbance on ground will stop," a senior forest official has said by way of explanation.
The other thing on agenda at the NBWLI meeting was the diversion of 0.43 ha of forest land in Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary for laying Optical Cable line by Reliance Communication Ltd, which was cleared.
