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PANAJI
The orders come on a petition filed by the Mhadei Bachao Abhiyan led by Nirmala Sawant which has alleged that Karnataka has begun and is carrying on with their project without any permissions from environmental authorities.
"We direct the State of Karnataka to file an affidavit of a responsible officer stating whether an application has been made for forest and environment clearance and, if so, to whom and when and the status of the application," the Supreme Court of India said in its order.
"Similarly, we direct the Union of India through the Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change to file an affidavit indicating whether any application has been received from the State of Karnataka for forest and environment clearance in relation to the Kalsa-Bhandura project in the Western Ghats and if so, the stage of the application. If no application has been received, it should be specifically stated on affidavit," the order further reads.
The Mhadei Bachao Abhiyan in its petition has alleged that the project is continuing without any approval under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 and other related clearances from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
In response, Karnataka through its counsel, Adv Fali Nariman claimed that the project does not require an environmental clearance as it is a project cost less than Rs 100 cr.
Karnataka has also accused the Narmada Bachao Abhiyan of being a front of the Goa government to stop Karnataka's project through a separate appeal before the Supreme Court while the matter was pending before the Mhadei Inter State Water Disputes Tribunal.
"That is simply not true, we are battling this case on our own without any support of the government," Nirmala Sawant of the MBA told press persons adding that they are solely concerned with Karnataka's alleged violation of the Forest Conservation Act and the forest clearance in connection with the building of the canal to divert water.
SC directs Karnataka to file affidavit on forest clearances
The SC, in an order passed earlier this month has asked Karnataka to file an affidavit stating unequivocally whether it has a forest and environment clearance to go ahead with its Kalsa Bhandura project in the Western Ghats, even as the govt extended by one year the term of the tribunal.
