Govt’s study team on Mhadei picks holes in Karnataka’s DPRs, questions approval

PANAJI
The Goa Government appointed 14-member study group on Mhadei river diversion, finds no merit in the Central Water Commission’s (CWC) technical approval to the Karnataka’s Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) as it slams Central body for ignoring the critical issues like impact on environment and ecology and human life due to the proposed Kalasa “ Bhandura Nala diversion schemes.

The study group also observed that CWC granted its approval to Karnataka in the absence of mandatory clearances under the Wild Life Protection Act 1972, Forest Conservation Act 1980, Environment Protection Act 1986 and the Biological Diversity Act 2002.

Following CWC approval to Karnataka’s two DPRs in January 2023, the State government constituted a study group under WRD Chief Engineer to study the DPRs. The group submitted its report in November, last year.

“The Study Group, after detailed deliberations and discussions, is of the considered opinion that CWC in its appraisal of both the DPRs has unfortunately ignored critical issues thereby causing grave injustice & injuries to the State of Goa which is an ecologically vulnerable lower riparian State,” the report stated.

“The Study Group finds no merit in the technical appraisal of the DPRs submitted by Chief Engineer, KNNL, by the CWC and finding both DPRs acceptable. Therefore, the Study Group strongly recommends the Government of Goa to reject the technical appraisal,” it added.

The Study Group has treated all the data presented in DPRs as “claims” made by the project proponent as Goa has no machinery to verify these claims and reserves its right to challenge all these claims.

The state of Karnataka had submitted two modified DPRs captioned Kalasa Nala Diversion Scheme (Lift Scheme) and Bhandura Nala Diversion Scheme (Lift Scheme) to CWC for appraisal in November 2022. The State of Goa being a lower riparian state was not intimated about the submission of such modified DPRs either by the State of Karnataka or the CWC. The State of Goa received information about this development only after the CWC had appraised the two DPRs and had communicated its acceptance only on Hydrology and Inter-State aspects.

FINDINGS of the Study Group

1. CWC limited the appraisal of the DPRs to the extent of Hydrology and Inter State Aspects only and ignored other vital dimensions. By doing so, CWC has failed to consider important observations and reasoning of the Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal (MWDT) award on the issue of Water allocations, its use and faulty master plan of Malaprabha reservoir

2. Appraising the DPRs for Non-irrigation purpose: CWC has erred in identifying the misguiding facts by the project proponent and ignored the critical observations of the MWDT which had rejected the justification of drinking water requirement to Hubli “ Dharwad and Kundgol town and enroute villages

3. CWC has failed to point out misleading statements inserted in the DPR to the effect that the diversion scheme is for drinking water supply of Hubli-Dharwad twin cities, town and enroute villages. It is CWC’s domain to judge with due diligence and verify whether these are indeed purely drinking water schemes

4. Environmental flow is not worked out in accordance with latest directives instructions from the MoEF&CC

5. CWC in contravention with laws of the land have appraised the DPRs, without seeking prior requisite and mandatory clearances under the Wild Life Protection Act 1972, Forest Conservation Act 1980, Environment Protection Act 1986, the Biological Diversity Act 2002, and violating Eco-sensitive zone requirements

6. CWC failed to address the issue of recurring landslides and its effects on human habitation, as water is proposed to be withdrawn from the river system

7. CWC conveniently left out the issue of laying of both underground and overhead transmission lines, which will cause large-scale disturbance in the ecology of the fragile forest land

8. CWC failed to insist on EIA despite the fact that the project is located in the Eco-Sensitive Area of Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary

Govt’s study team on Mhadei picks holes in Karnataka’s DPRs, questions approval

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