PANAJI
The Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) on Monday informed Lok Sabha that the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has not granted any approval so far on Karnataka’s application for the diversion of forest land for the construction of the Kalasa nala irrigation project in the Mhadei basin.
In a question tabled by the South Goa MP Captain Viriato Fernandes, Union Minister said the application came up for the discussion before the Standing Committee of the NBWL during its 77th meeting held in January, this year.
"However, no approval for this project has been given by the Board so far," the Minister said.
The proposal was for the use of around 11 hectares of forest land situated on the tiger corridor between Kali and Sahyadri tiger reserves. This is supposed to be for the construction of a diversion weir, jack well-cum-pump house, electrical substation, pipeline and power line at Kankumbi and other villages.
The project is a part of the State government’s project for the construction of Kalasa Nala Diversion Scheme in Khanapur taluk of Belagavi district.
As reported earlier, the NBWL’s, headed by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's standing committee cited multiple reasons such as the matter pending before courts and non-receipt of approval from the National Tiger Conservation Authority as the reasons.
The Central Water Commission gave in-principle approval for the project in 2022 and the same was strongly opposed by Goa government before the Centre.
The Supreme Court, that is hearing the several petitions filed by the three riparian States -- Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra, has listed the matter for next hearing in August.
