PANAJI
Even as the Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Ltd (KNNL) has begun to obtain approvals for damming and diversion of Kalasa Nala scheme, the project cannot kick-off without consent from Goa Chief Wildlife Warden.
The Karnataka State Board of Wildlife last week granted permission for acquisition of forest land for diversion of Kalasa Nala from Mhadei river basin to Malaprabha basin. However, the Goa government is firm that “these empty formalities” won’t help Karnataka.
Speaking to The Goan, Advocate General Devidas Pangam said “these are empty formalities which they have to do but that won’t help”.
“Karnataka will require Goa Chief Wildlife Warden permission under Section 29 of the Wildlife Protection Act, since they are planning to divert the water from our (Mhadei) wildlife sanctuary,” Pangam explained.
The Goa Chief Wildlife Warden had in February, issued show cause notice to Karnataka citing Section 29, which disallows the diversion of waters from the wildlife sanctuary unless specifically for the benefit of the wildlife of that sanctuary.
Pangam also informed that based on Goa Chief Wildlife Warden approval, Karnataka will have to apply for forest clearance with the Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
The Karnataka State Wildlife Board during its meeting approved KNNL proposal for construction of diversion weir, jackwell cum pump house, electrical substation, pipeline and powerline in Kanakumbi and other villages for construction of Kalasa Nala diversion scheme in Khanapur taluka of Belagavi district.
The project, categorized as drinking water, involves a total 67.146 ha of wildlife area.
KNNL has recently floated the tender for completing the Kalasa project within a year. According to the tender, the Karnataka government has taken the decision to dam and divert the waters of Kalasa, Surla, and Haltara nullahs that flow naturally into the Mhadei.
The Supreme Court is likely to hear on November 11, the Goa Government’s special leave petition (SLP) challenging the decision of the Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal (MWDT) granting Karnataka 13.42 tmc (thousand million cubic feet) of water for its Kalasa-Bhandura drinking water cum irrigation project.
