Nagpur: The Maharashtra government has constituted a 9-member committee to suggest mitigation measures for construction of Channaka-Korata (Rudha) and BR Ambedkar Pranhita joint irrigation projects between Telangana and Maharashtra near Tipeshwar and Chaprala wildlife sanctuaries.
The committee will be headed by additional principal chief conservator of forests (APCCF) for wildlife Sunil Limaye. Pench field director Ravikiran Govekar will be member-secretary. Satpuda Foundation chief Kishor Rithe, Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT) president Anish Andheria, Yavatmal & Gadchiroli honorary wildlife wardens Ramzan Virani & Uday Patel respectively will be expert members.
CCFs of Yavatmal and Gadchiroli PG Rahurkar and WI Yatbon, respectively, and chief engineer of irrigation project, Adilabad, will be other members of the panel. Both the projects have been ratified by the state board for wildlife (SBWL) chaired by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. Channaka-Korata (Rudha) and BR Ambedkar projects border Telangana-Maharashtra.
The Rudha project will bring about 5,444 hectares of Telangana and 1,210 hectares of Maharashtra under irrigation and also facilitate drinking water to 14 villages having population of 17,340.
The Rs 400-crore project is about 3.5km from the boundary of Tipeshwar and falls within 10km from the boundary of PA, which is deemed eco-sensitive zone (ESZ).
Similarly, BR Ambedkar project in Asifabad (Telangana) is located 1.5km upstream to confluence point of Wardha and Wainganga rivers near Chamorshi district of Gadchiroli. The total length of the barrage is 6,450 metres.
The proposed project shall require revenue land to the extent of 391 hectares in Telangana and 117 hectares in Maharashtra. This includes 92-hectare area of 13 villages in Chandrapur district and 25 hectares from 9 villages in Gadchiroli district. Besides, the area coming under river is 1,008 hectares in Chandrapur and 490 hectares in Gadchiroli.
The project aims to irrigate about 2 lakh acres in Telangana. Apart from irrigation, water will be used for drinking as well as industrial purposes.
Since the construction of the project is located hardly 200 metres from the boundary of Chaprala sanctuary and will impact dispersal of animals, mitigation steps are must.
Both the projects have been recommended with a condition that the proponents will deposit 2% of the project cost with Pench and Tadoba-Andhari tiger conservation foundation (TCF) for habitat development, protection and conservation of wildlife in Tipeshwar and Chaprala.
There are 9 tigers in Tipeshwar and if mitigation measures are not taken, the Rudha barrage will block movement of tigers from Tipeshwar. Already, man-animal conflict is severe in the areas surrounding the sanctuary.
