The legal battle against the controversial Yettinahole project may not be over yet with the two petitioners saying that they would approach the Supreme Court against the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) green signal to continue the ₹13,000-crore project.
On Friday, the tribunal allowed construction under the project, which seeks to divert 24 tmcft of water from the tributaries of Nethravati river from the Western Ghats near Sakleshpur towards Tumakuru, Chickballapur, Kolar, and other parched districts.
While the petitioners said the project needed environmental clearance, Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Ltd. (KNNL), which is implementing it, insisted that the “drinking water project” was exempt from that requirement. The Principal Bench of the NGT sided with the latter and directed the Forest Department and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to monitor the project for violations.
“We approached the NGT Southern Bench in 2014 against the project. By the time the verdict has come, a majority of the work has taken place on the ground. Justice delayed has resulted in justice denied for us,” said H.A. Kishore Kumar of Malenadu Janapara Horata Samiti, one of the petitioners. “There is little relief for us. We have seen the Forest Department and MoEF reports on the project. They are always in favour of the government, even after we pointed out that over 15,000 trees were cut here,” he said.
Mr. Kumar said he was discussing the matter with his advocate and evaluating the finances needed to take the case to the apex court.
Environmentalist K.N. Somashekar, who had independently approached the NGT towards the end of 2014, said there was no option but to go to the court. “In some sense, the NGT order was expected. But we will have more success at the Supreme Court. At the NGT, we could only argue within the environmental Acts. In the Supreme court, we will bring up technical aspects, the tendering process, construction lapses, and even corruption. We will demand a comprehensive probe into the project,” he said.
