The state expert appraisal committee (SEAC) has recommended environmental clearance (EC) for the Wayanad-Kozhikode twin tunnel project, which has triggered debates over serious ecological concerns. The EC was issued in an online meeting convened by the SEAC on March 1. The proposal was considered and deferred earlier, citing clarifications eight times before it was finally recommended.

The SEAC had directed the project proponent to submit 28 additional documents for further appraisal of the application after evaluating the documents submitted along with the original application and based on the discussion of the field inspection report. 

The project envisages the construction of a twin-tube unidirectional tunnel road (2+2 Lane) with a four-lane approach from existing roads for providing direct connectivity between Anakkampoyil-Kalladi-Meppadi in Kozhikode and Wayanad. The total project cost is Rs 2043.74 crore. Even while recommending EC for the project, SEAC has reiterated the concerns in the meeting minutes.

It says that the project cost is not found inclusive of the cost required for the implementation of the EMP ( Environment management plan). The proposed length of the tunnel is 8.753 km. The proposed project had earlier obtained stage-1 forest clearance for the diversion of 17.263 ha of forest land. The project area falls in the villages categorized as Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA). Thiruvambady Village in Kozhikode and Vellarimala Village in Wayanad are ESA Villages.A stretch of 5.76 km of the tunnel passes through forestland, and 17.263 Ha of forestland is to be utilized for the project, out of which 16.269 Ha is for underground usage and 0.994 Ha is for overground usage.

There are also four tribal Colonies located within 500 m to 1.5 km to the proposed tunnel road in the Northern side. 32 tribal populations in Mammikkunnu, Kuppachi, Kalladi and Aranamala colony in Wayanad fall close to the proposed tunnel road. The Committee noted that there is every possibility of aggressive human- wildlife conflict, as per the meeting minutes. 

The Committee pointed out that the project area falls in an environmentally fragile region, a high landslide hazard zone and ESA villages. The area recorded landslides in the past with high fatalities and experienced an extremely severe landslide disaster with a very high death toll, loss of properties and adverse land modifications in the recent past. "Therefore, it is necessary that all the anticipated impacts due to various activities envisaged under the project during the construction and operation phases have to be evaluated with adequate scientific inputs and considering up to date scientific literature available on such development projects elsewhere and their impacts," the meeting document notes. 

The Committee also observed that the additional documents do not provide an explanation on the vibration and overpressure impact of blasting at various distances and also on the nearby built structures. It is also necessary to examine the possibility of accentuating landslide incidents in the area based on a detailed evaluation of the causative factors and impacts of the severe landslide experienced in the area recently. 

Documents show that the project proponent also agreed that the proposed project area falls in a high landslide hazard zone and environmentally fragile region. The EC has been recommended based on the evaluation of the EIA (Environment Impact Assessment) report, additional documents submitted, report filed in response to the queries raised in the discussion meeting of the committee with the proponent and consultant, reports of the sub-committees of SEAC, secondary information gathered by the committee from the published literature on the terrain and ecological significance of the proposed project area and literature from India and elsewhere on the construction of tunnels and their impact.