New Delhi, July 11 -- The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SCNBWL) headed by Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav has approved key infrastructure projects in and around wildlife reserves as per minutes of its meeting held on June 26. The panel has approved "in principle" , the diversion of 310 ha of forest land from the core zone of Namdapha Tiger Reserve for the construction of Arunachal Frontier Highway. The minutes indicate that there are several environmental concerns with the project which would result in the felling of approximately 1.5 lakh trees. One member of the committee questioned need for extensive widening as per the minutes. "... the present proposal seeks an expansion, and two major concerns arise: first, the plan would result in the felling of approximately 1,55,000 trees, and the justification for such extensive widening is unclear; second, the animal passage plan must be aligned with actual ground realities regarding wildlife presence and crossing points, and the current plan is weak in this respect," the minutes stated. The proposal was recommended by Chief Wildlife Warden, the State Board for Wildlife and the Arunachal Pradesh government. The committee found that mitigation measures proposed, including underpasses, were quite rudimentary when compared to earlier proposals. Certain proposed underpasses were designed with a height of up to 10 metres, which was not required, the minutes stated. The standing committee decided to approve the project in principle, with two conditions. One, that the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) undertake a comprehensive and site-specific study of the project area, and on the basis of this, propose scientifically robust and practical mitigation measures aimed at minimizing adverse impacts on wildlife and their habitats. These measures are to be implemented by the project proponent, Public Works Department. And an annual compliance certificate on stipulated conditions be submitted by user agency to State Chief Wildlife warden. According to the agenda for the meeting, the National Tiger Conservation Authority noted that despite the low abundance of tigers, Namdapha holds immense importance for conserving other significant carnivores such as clouded leopard. The standing committee also approved the proposal for use of 38.6 ha non-forest land from the buffer zone of Orang Tiger Reserve for construction of a two-lane road from Basnaghat (Morigaon) to Bhuragaon to Burigaon (Kharupetia) including a new major bridge over the Brahmaputra. It approved the project with several conditions including that no adverse impact shall be caused to the wild animals and their habitat; no activities shall be carried out between sunset and sunrise; the human animal conflict mitigation and wildlife conservation and management plan shall be prepared and approved within three months from the date of receipt of funds; and an animal passage plan will be implemented. The panel has also approved proposals for construction of a four-lane tunnel across Brahmaputra between Gohpur (on NH-15) North Bank and Numaligarh (on NH715) South Bank in Assam that requires the use of forest land in and around Kaziranga and exploratory drilling over an area of 4.9 ha in the Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve. The committee also decided to approve a proposal for alteration or rationalisation in the boundaries of Sariska Tiger Reserve by increasing critical tiger habitat area from 881.11 sq kms to 924.49 sq kms and decease in buffer area from 245.72 to 203.20 sq kms....