BELAGAVI
The Karnataka Government has claimed that the forest clearance proposal for the Bhandura Nala Diversion Scheme has not been rejected by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), but its further consideration is held up due to pending proceedings before the Supreme Court.
The State has also confirmed that the wildlife clearance proposal for the Kalasa Nala Diversion Scheme has been submitted to the Centre and the required clarification furnished.
Karnataka was responding to media reports that the MoEF&CC had removed its proposal seeking permission to divert 71 acres of forest land for the Bhandura Nala project from its project consideration list, for reportedly failing to furnish the clarifications sought by the Centre.
According to sources, the Bhandura project involves diversion of 28.4421 hectares (about 70.26 acres) of forest land.
The Karnataka government stated that under the PARIVESH portal procedure, proposals are automatically delisted from the pending list if the user agency fails to respond to an Essential Details Sought (EDS) query within 90 days. Such delisting is procedural and does not amount to rejection, as the proposal can be restored by uploading the requisite EDS compliance, stated the sources.
However, the Integrated Regional Office of MoEF&CC, in its EDS review dated July 13, 2026, returned the proposal citing pending Supreme Court proceedings. The case relates to an application filed by Karnataka challenging the March 29, 2023, order of the Chief Wildlife Warden, Goa, under Section 29 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The proposal will be reconsidered based on further directions from the Supreme Court.
Regarding the Kalasa Nala project, the State said its wildlife clearance proposal involving 10.6852 hectares of forest land in the tiger corridor between Kali and Sahyadri Tiger Reserves has already been submitted to the Centre. Karnataka also responded to the EDS query on June 24, stating that the proposal should be processed under the prevailing statutory framework, while inter-State water-sharing issues should be resolved before the competent forum.
The Karnataka government has identified the pending Supreme Court case concerning the Goa order as the main hurdle to the Bhandura project. It has called for an early hearing of the pending application and appropriate legal directions to resolve the issue. Withdrawal of the application may also be examined, subject to the State Government's approval.
Officials stressed that resolving the legal impediment is essential for expediting both projects and obtaining the necessary statutory clearances.
