‘Apprehension about damage to Western Ghats yet to be addressed’

Even as the Legislature Committee on Government Assurances visited the Yettinahole project site and exuded confidence that the project would be ready soon, advocate and environmentalist H.A. Kishor Kumar, who moved the National Green Tribunal (NGT) demanding an environment impact assessment, is disappointed. With the legal battle failing to get a stay on the work, Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Ltd. is continuing with the project, leaving the applicant feeling lost.

Second phase

The legislature committee, headed by K.N. Rajanna, visited the project site on Tuesday and said the second phase would be finalised by December.

“The hearing on my application to the southern bench of NGT is going on. Our apprehension about the damage being caused to the Western Ghats has not been addressed,” said Mr. Kumar, president of Malenadu Janapara Horata Samiti.

Besides Mr. Kumar, K.N. Somashekhar, Purushottam Chitrapur, V.V. Bhat, and Yathiraj C. filed petitions. The case has now been moved to the NGT’s Principal Bench in Delhi.

‘Assessment not neded’

The government had maintained that the assessment was not necessary as it was a drinking water project benefiting areas of Chikkaballapur, Kolar, Tumakuru, Ramanagaram, and Bengaluru Rural districts.

“It is clear that the project intends to fill 527 irrigation tanks. They are all irrigation tanks with the total command area of 29,182 ha.

As per norms, every project intended to irrigate area more than 10,000 ha needs an environment impact assessment,” he said.

Further, the government had expected 24.1 tmcft water from the source in the project.

“A study conducted by the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru reported that only 9 tmcft of water is available. We have raised the objections based on these technical grounds. The last hearing was held on March 31 and next hearing is on May 9,” Mr. Kumar said.

A study conducted by the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru reported that only 9 tmcft of water is available [in the project source]

H.A. Kishor Kumar,

Advocate and environmentalist