Rehab centre yet to come up, 5 blackbuck shifted out of Jewar airport site to nearby forest

In a missive dated October 1, the UP authorities had designated the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) arsenic the bureau liable for constructing the rescue-rehabilitation centre successful Jewar; this is pending support earlier the method committee of the Central Zoo Authority (CZA).

The Indian blackbuck is listed successful Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, arsenic per which “the process of seizure oregon translocation, arsenic the lawsuit whitethorn be, of specified carnal shall beryllium made successful specified a mode arsenic to origin minimum trauma to the said animal.

CZA Secretary Sanjay Shukla said: “Since blackbuck are delicate and prone to casualties, it is for the translocating assemblage to guarantee determination is due proviso of fodder and the blackbuck are released successful a akin habitat.”

However, NIA CEO Arun Vir Singh said helium was not alert of immoderate specified thrust being initiated by the DFO: “We could make a impermanent structure… alternatively of releasing them extracurricular the boundary.”

“The CZA’s drafting committee has already approved the task (rehab centre). But it inactive requires support from CZA’s method committee, which is expected to reappraisal it this month. Once cleared, the connection volition beryllium sent to the Ministry of Environment for last approval, aft which YEIDA volition commencement construction,” helium said.

Earlier, The Indian Express had reported that 1 of the roadblocks successful operationalisation of the airdrome was the 2nd signifier of biology clearance. One of the reasons for the pending clearance was the planned translocation of 111 animals, including blackbuck, peafowl and cervid from what volition beryllium the airdrome premises.

“The Directorate General of Civil Aviation volition soon beryllium giving the aerodrome licence; this volition lone beryllium fixed if determination is simply a due mechanics successful spot for wildlife,” Singh told The Indian Express.

The Wildlife Institute of India (WII), which prepared a conservation program successful its study successful 2019 and presented it earlier the UP government, had identified blackbuck and Sarus cranes arsenic cardinal taxon inhabiting the onshore acquired for the airport.

A full of six taxon of mammals were observed successful the projected tract of the Noida International Airport arsenic good arsenic wrong its 10-km buffer zone. A full of 60 taxon of birds, 28 autarkic groups of Blackbuck, 21 autarkic groups of Nilgai, Golden Jackal, Jungle Cat, 64 Sarus cranes, Egyptian vulture and 24 autarkic observations of Indian Peafowl were made crossed the airdrome scenery by the WII.

Later, a survey by the UP authorities of the 1,334 hectares earmarked for the airport’s archetypal phase, on with an country extending 10-25 km beyond it, recorded 258 blackbuck — the largest radical of 29 was spotted adjacent Rohi-Parohi villages, southeast of the airdrome site.