Mrunmayee (2020). a Highway to Hell: a Proposed, Inessential, 6-Lane
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PLATINUM The Journal of Threatened Taxa (JoTT) is dedicated to building evidence for conservaton globally by publishing peer-reviewed artcles OPEN ACCESS online every month at a reasonably rapid rate at www.threatenedtaxa.org. All artcles published in JoTT are registered under Creatve Commons Atributon 4.0 Internatonal License unless otherwise mentoned. JoTT allows unrestricted use, reproducton, and distributon of artcles in any medium by providing adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of publicaton. Journal of Threatened Taxa Building evidence for conservaton globally www.threatenedtaxa.org ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) Communication A highway to hell: a proposed, inessential, 6-lane highway (NH173) that threatens the forest and wildlife corridors of the Western Ghats, India H.S. Sathya Chandra Sagar & Mrunmayee 26 October 2020 | Vol. 12 | No. 14 | Pages: 16944–16953 DOI: 10.11609/jot.5957.12.14.16944-16953 For Focus, Scope, Aims, Policies, and Guidelines visit htps://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/about/editorialPolicies#custom-0 For Artcle Submission Guidelines, visit htps://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/about/submissions#onlineSubmissions For Policies against Scientfc Misconduct, visit htps://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/about/editorialPolicies#custom-2 For reprints, contact <[email protected]> The opinions expressed by the authors do not refect the views of the Journal of Threatened Taxa, Wildlife Informaton Liaison Development Society, Zoo Outreach Organizaton, or any of the partners. The journal, the publisher, the host, and the part- Publisher & Host ners are not responsible for the accuracy of the politcal boundaries shown in the maps by the authors. Member Threatened Taxa Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 October 2020 | 12(14): 16944–16953 ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) PLATINUM OPEN ACCESS DOI: htps://doi.org/10.11609/jot.5957.12.14.16944-16953 #5957 | Received 07 April 2020 | Final received 04 July 2020 | Finally accepted 11 September 2020 C o m m A highway to hell: a proposed, inessental, 6-lane highway (NH173) u n i that threatens the forest and wildlife corridors of the Western Ghats, India c a 1 2 t H.S. Sathya Chandra Sagar & Mrunmayee i o 1,2 Wildlife Conservaton and Nature Educaton (WildCANE) - Jakkanahalli Post, Mallandur, Chikkamagaluru, Karnataka 577130, India n 1 [email protected] (corresponding author), 2 [email protected] , , , Abstract:Kannada abstract: A globally, "ಾಗ%ಕ extensiveಮಟ)ದ+, -ಾ.ಪಕ-ಾ0ರುವroad networkರLೆ>ಗಳ combinedಸಂಪಕ< ಮತು> with4ೆ?ಾ@ಗು%>ರುವ increasing-ಾ vehicularಹನಗಳ ಸಂ?ಾರವC trafcಸDEೕಯ posesವನ.HೕI a signifcantಪ8ಸರ ಆK<ಕ threatಮತು> toLಾMಾHಕ local wildlife,ವ.ವLೆDಯ environment,NೕOೆ ವ.%8ಕ>-ಾದ economy, ಪ8PಾಮವನುQ and Rೕರುತ>6ೆ socio-politcs.. Sಾರತದ+,ನ India,ರLೆ>ಗಳT with, ಸುMಾರು nearly 5.9 ದಶಲW5.9 million XOೋZೕಟ[ kilometers ಗಳಷು) I]>ೕರಣವನುQof road, has 4ೊಂ_ದು7 the second-highest, IಶÖದ+, ಎರಡdೇ ಅ%6ೊಡe road network ರLೆ> ಸಂಪಕ< in the4ೊಂ_ರುವ world; 6ೇಶ-ಾ06ೆ and has. ಅhೆ)ೕ plans ಅಲ,6ೆ to, ಇನೂQexponentally 4ೆj@ನ ಸಂkೆ.ಯ+, increase lಾmnೕಯ its 4ೆ6ಾ78ಗಳ natonal oMಾ<ಣ highways. pೕಜdೆಯನುQ In this 4ಾXrೊಂs6ೆ study, we. rೆಳಕಂಡ use a ಅಧ.ಯನದ+, combinaton, ಪ`Lಾ>uತ of collaton ಷಟv_ lಾmnೕಯ of ofcial 4ೆ6ಾ78 documents, literature review, and GIS mapping to outline the possible environmental and socio-economic impacts caused by a proposed pೕಜdೆwಂದ (NH 173), ಪ8ಸರ, LಾMಾHಕ ಮತು> ಆK<ಕ ವ.ವLೆDಯ NೕOೆ Rೕಳಬಹು6ಾದ ಪ8Pಾಮಗಳ ರೂಪlೇಖವನುQ, ಸrಾ<8 ಸಂpೕHತ 6ಾಖOೆಗಳT, Oೇಖನ Iಮzೆ< 4ಾಗೂ H 6-lane natonal highway (NH 173). This highway is set . to cut through the low elevaton evergreen forests of the central Western Ghats betweenಐ ಎ| lೇkಾjತ`ಗಳನುQ Mudigere andಅಧ.ಯನ NelliyadiMಾಡುವCದರ townsಮೂಲಕ of Chikkamagaluru%E]ರು}ೆ>ೕ-ೆ Sಾರತ and6ೇಶದ Dakshinaಕdಾ<ಟಕ Kannadalಾಜ.ದ jಕ~ಮಗಳರು districts, ofHOೆ,ಯ KarnatakaSಾಗ-ಾದ State,ಮೂsÄೆlೆ respectvely.4ಾಗೂ ದÅಣ WeಕನQಡ furtherHOೆ,ಯ outlineSಾಗ-ಾದ the dೆOಾ.s insignifcance ಮÇೆ. ಇರುವ, ofಪÉ@ಮ the ಘಟ)ಗಳ project ಕsN and ಎತ>ರದ recommend oತ. ಹ8ದÖಣ< workable rಾಡುಗಳ alternatves ಮೂಲಕ ಈ 4ೆ6ಾ78ಯು that could 4ಾದು be 4ೋಗುವCದನುQ considered ಪ`Lಾ>uಸOಾ06ೆ in the wider. ಅದಲ,6ೆpublic’s, ಇದು interest. ಮಹತÖáೕನ pೕಜdೆ ಎಂಬುದನುQ %Eಸು}ಾ>, Lಾವ<ಜoಕ á}ಾಸX>ಯನುQ rಾuಡುವ ದೃm)wಂದ, ಇದrೆ~ ಪâಾ<ಯ ವ.ವLೆDಯನೂQ ಸೂjಸOಾ0ರುತ>6ೆ. Keywords: Conservaton, forest, India, linear intrusion, road, roadkill, wildlife. Kannada abstract: "ಾಗ%ಕ ಮಟ)ದ+,, -ಾ.ಪಕ-ಾ0ರುವ ರLೆ>ಗಳ ಸಂಪಕ< ಮತು> 4ೆ?ಾ@ಗು%>ರುವ -ಾಹನಗಳ ಸಂ?ಾರವC ಸDEೕಯ ವನ.HೕI, ಪ8ಸರ, ಆK<ಕ ಮತು> LಾMಾHಕ ವ.ವLೆDಯ NೕOೆ ವ.%8ಕ>-ಾದ ಪ8PಾಮವನುQ Rೕರುತ>6ೆ. Sಾರತದ+,ನ ರLೆ>ಗಳT, ಸುMಾರು 5.9 ದಶಲW XOೋZೕಟ[ ಗಳಷು) I]>ೕರಣವನುQ 4ೊಂ_ದು7, IಶÖದ+, ಎರಡdೇ ಅ%6ೊಡe ರLೆ> ಸಂಪಕ< 4ೊಂ_ರುವ 6ೇಶ-ಾ06ೆ. ಅhೆ)ೕ ಅಲ,6ೆ, ಇನೂQ 4ೆj@ನ ಸಂkೆ.ಯ+, lಾmnೕಯ 4ೆ6ಾ78ಗಳ oMಾ<ಣ pೕಜdೆಯನುQ 4ಾXrೊಂs6ೆ. rೆಳಕಂಡ ಅಧ.ಯನದ+,, ಪ`Lಾ>uತ ಷಟv_ lಾmnೕಯ 4ೆ6ಾ78 pೕಜdೆwಂದ (NH 173), ಪ8ಸರ, LಾMಾHಕ ಮತು> ಆK<ಕ ವ.ವLೆDಯ NೕOೆ Rೕಳಬಹು6ಾದ ಪ8Pಾಮಗಳ ರೂಪlೇಖವನುQ, ಸrಾ<8 ಸಂpೕHತ 6ಾಖOೆಗಳT, Oೇಖನ Iಮzೆ< 4ಾಗೂ H ಐ ಎ| lೇkಾjತ`ಗಳನುQ ಅಧ.ಯನ MಾಡುವCದರ ಮೂಲಕ %E]ರು}ೆ>ೕ-ೆ. Sಾರತ 6ೇಶದ ಕdಾ<ಟಕ lಾಜ.ದ jಕ~ಮಗಳರು HOೆ,ಯ Sಾಗ-ಾದ ಮೂsÄೆlೆ 4ಾಗೂ ದÅಣ ಕನQಡ HOೆ,ಯ Sಾಗ-ಾದ dೆOಾ.s ಮÇೆ. ಇರುವ, ಪÉ@ಮ ಘಟ)ಗಳ ಕsN ಎತ>ರದ oತ. ಹ8ದÖಣ< rಾಡುಗಳ ಮೂಲಕ ಈ 4ೆ6ಾ78ಯು 4ಾದು 4ೋಗುವCದನುQ ಪ`Lಾ>uಸOಾ06ೆ. ಅದಲ,6ೆ, ಇದು ಮಹತÖáೕನ pೕಜdೆ ಎಂಬುದನುQ %Eಸು}ಾ>, Lಾವ<ಜoಕ á}ಾಸX>ಯನುQ rಾuಡುವ ದೃm)wಂದ, ಇದrೆ~ ಪâಾ<ಯ ವ.ವLೆDಯನೂQ ಸೂjಸOಾ0ರುತ>6ೆ. Editor: Anonymity requested. Date of publicaton: 26 October 2020 (online & print) Citaton: Sagar, H.S.S.C. & Mrunmayee (2020). A highway to hell: a proposed, inessental, 6-lane highway (NH173) that threatens the forest and wildlife corridors of the Western Ghats, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 12(14): 16944–16953. htps://doi.org/10.11609/jot.5957.12.14.16944-16953 Copyright: © Sagar & Mrunmayee 2020. Creatve Commons Atributon 4.0 Internatonal License. JoTT allows unrestricted use, reproducton, and distributon of this artcle in any medium by providing adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of publicaton. Funding: We did not use any external funding for this study. Competng interests: The authors declare no competng interests. Data and materials availability: Compensaton data collected using RTI Act, which was used to create Fig. 2, has been atached in supplementary material under Appendix 5. Author details: H.S. Sathya Chandra Sagar is a conservaton scientst and a feld biologist. He is interested in understanding the ecological impacts of various human actvites and the efectveness of conservaton practces to protect biodiversity in tropical forests. He is currently a graduate (PhD) researcher at the Sound Forest Lab at the Nelson Insttue and the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin - Madison. Mrunmayee is a conservatonist from Chikkamagaluru of India and the Executve Director of WildCANE, a grassroots NGO working in the Bhadra Kudremukh landscape of Western Ghats of India. She has been involved in conservaton eforts for over 13 years in various capacites in India and is currently pursuing MPhil in Conservaton Leadership course as part of the 2020-21 cohort at the University of Cambridge. Author contributon: Both the authors conceived the idea, HSSCS primarily wrote the paper and both the authors contributed to the fnal manuscript. Acknowledgements: We thank all our associates for their constant support, guidance and inputs for the manuscript. We thank Praneeth K Sargur for translatng the abstract to Kannada language. We also thank the two anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments. 16944 J TT A highway to hell: a proposed, inessental, 6-lane highway (NH173) Sagar & Mrunmayee INTRODUCTION 2011; Alamgir et al. 2017). These areas hold one of the highest populatons of Asiatc Elephants and also India has the second-highest road network in has been identfed as an important Tiger corridor the world with nearly 5.9 million kilometers of road (Appendix 2; Elephant Task Force 2012; Qureshi et al. (MRTH 2019). Between the years 2018 and 2019, with 2014; Project Elephant Division 2017). Along with these 10,855km added to the existng highway network, India charismatc and threatened mega-fauna, these RFs are had a 10% increase in natonal highways compared to home to fve species of birds, nine species of reptles, the previous year (MRTH 2019). Even with increased and 23 species of mammals (Appendix 4), listed under fuel economy standards, technological advancements, schedule I and II of the Indian Wildlife (Protecton) Act and contnued roadway constructons, India’s vehicular 1972, giving them the highest protecton under Indian trafc is expected to grow signifcantly beyond the law (WII-ENVIS 2014; IUCN 2019). In additon, this year 2050 (Dulac 2013). Globally, such extensive road landscape hosts an array of globally threatened and network combined with increasing vehicular trafc has endemic species of fora and fauna (Myers et al.