ECRL project: Developers required to build underground tunnel, preserve biodiversity

DEVELOPERS involved in the East CoastRailLink(ECRL)arerequired to construct underground tunnels on routes crossing forest reserves to preserve the biodiversity in the affected areas.

The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry in a written reply at the Dewan Rakyat sitting yesterday said eight tunnels stretching a total of 39.3 kilometres would be built to prevent disturbances to the forest reserves.

It said the proposed ECRL project would involved 357 hectares of Permanent Forest Reserves in Terengganu, Pahang and Selangor.

“The results of a survey conducted in the forest reserve along the proposed ECRL routes revealed that wildlife such as tigers, elephants, sun bears, tapir and wild buffalo inhabit these forest areas. Among the effects of the ECRL’s project construction on wildlife in the affected areas are habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, humanwildlife conflicts, poaching, and wildlife violations.

“Project implementation should take into account wildlife sensitive areas and ensure the three links that connect Central Forest Spine (CFS) are not affected to avoid drastic impact and conflicts on wildlife habitat along the line,” said the ministry.

The ministry was replying to a question by Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali ( BN-Bagan Serai) on the extent of the impact of the ECRL project development on the biodiversity in the forest reserves.

It said the wildlife crossing such as the overpass and underpass would also be constructed to help the wildlife to cross the ECRL safely besides building viaduct and culvert to enable wildlife to cross the ECRL line to the adjacent forests.

“The developer is required to install a fence or wall along the 600.30km line to ensure wildlife do not enter the platform that may cause collision,” it said.

The ministry also made it compulsory to have a Wildlife Mitigation Plan in the Environmental Impact Assessment ( EIA) to detect the presence of wildlife species in the affected areas while mitigation programmes needed to be conducted to minimise negative impacts on the wildlife and local community. — Bernama