Dimapur: An advocate from Kolkata has approached the National Green Tribunal’s Eastern Zone Bench, challenging the Nagaland government’s decision to set up a Greenfield airport near Chiethu in Kohima district and seeking a fresh assessment of the project’s technical and ecological feasibility.
The petition, filed by advocate Sanjita Sarkar on September 23, seeks directions to maintain status quo at the proposed site and restrain the Union civil aviation ministry and the Nagaland government from proceeding with construction until the environmental and technical concerns raised in the application are considered.
The application was filed under Sections 18(1), 14, 15, 16 and 17 of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010.
Sarkar has raised concerns over the proposed site’s seismic conditions, terrain, prolonged monsoon and fog, ecological sensitivity and the projected cost of the airport. She has argued that these factors warrant a fresh technical, economic and ecological assessment before the project is taken forward.
According to the application, the proposed site is a plateau-like area near Chiethu covering approximately 645 acres, with an additional 140 acres reportedly required under the Airports Authority of India (AAI) master plan.
The proposed airport is planned with a tabletop runway oriented 05-23 and an elevation of about 1,420 metres, the petition states.
The application refers to an AAI techno-economic feasibility study conducted in 2010 for developing a Greenfield airport at the site. According to the petitioner, the study had found the site feasible for ATR-72 type aircraft, subject to extensive hill cutting, earthwork, filling and slope protection.
The present proposal, however, envisages an airport capable of handling Airbus A-320 or equivalent aircraft, Sarkar has stated.
The petition also refers to an AAI tender for consultancy services to prepare a detailed project report for the proposed Greenfield airport at Chiethu.
A key concern raised by the petitioner is the estimated cost of the project. Sarkar cited a Lok Sabha reply to unstarred question No. 1048 dated June 27, 2019, according to which an AAI multidisciplinary team had assessed the proposed Chiethu site and estimated the cost of developing the airport at around Rs 6,000 crore.
The same Lok Sabha reply had referred to strengthening works at Dimapur airport at a cost of Rs 43.22 crore.
The petitioner has argued that Dimapur airport, given its relatively accessible location, road and rail connectivity and flatter terrain, could offer a more economical alternative if adequately upgraded.
The application also draws a comparison with Pakyong airport in Sikkim, citing what the petitioner describes as risks associated with developing a tabletop airport in difficult terrain and adverse weather conditions. Sarkar has alleged that similar conditions could affect the long-term viability of the proposed airport near Kohima.
The petitioner has therefore sought a fresh assessment of the proposed airport’s technical, economic and ecological viability before the project is taken forward, particularly in view of the scale of expenditure involved.