The Forest Department has issued permission for expansion of a private mini-hydel project located in the eco-sensitive zone of the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, though it has been twice rejected by the State Board for Wildlife.
Documents available with The Hindu indicate that the project was also rejected by the Regional Office of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEF &CC) on April 13, 2018. But the same office has permitted the project as per its letter dated August 16, 2018 though the ecological ramifications on the ground has not altered.
The Basaveshwara mini-hydel project is located on survey number 1 of Shivanasamudra village, Kollegal taluk, Chamarajanagar district, and the expansion proposal was first rejected by the State Board for Wildlife on January 28, 2015 and again on September 11, 2015 given the ecological implications of the project.
What is significant is that the 25th Regional Empowered Committee of the Regional Office of the MOEF &CC had made salient observations while rejecting the proposal. The minutes of the meeting notes that the proposed area is rich in wildlife and harbours tigers, elephants, leopards, slender loris, pangolin, rusty spotted cat, sloth bear, Indian porcupine, ratel, all of which are protected under various schedules of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
It also mentions the High Court Karnataka’s observation in a related case that the penstock and impounded water can create a significant obstacle to the movement of wildlife, particularly long-distance foraging animals. Hence, the project was turned down stating that the “REC is of the view that the proposal shall be rejected in toto as decided by the State Board for Wildlife.” But now, the same department has issued clearance for the project ignoring its own observations.
Equally significant is the REC’s own comments that the project is located in the eco-sensitive zone of Cauvery Wildlife and as there already exists a mini-hydel plant with 24.75 MW capacity, the combined power generation would go up to 49.5 MW making it a Category ‘A’ project attracting environmental clearance, as per EIA Notification, 2006.
Wildlife activists say as per the norms, the project has to be cleared by the State Board and again referred to the National Board for Wildlife, besides conducting an environmental impact assessment, all of which are being bypassed.
Pointing to a spurt in human-elephant conflict in recent years in these areas, wildlife activists attributed this to the loss of habitat and disturbance caused by mini-hydel projects. The large pipeline laid to carry water also impedes the movement, according to activists who have questioned the government’s decision.
