Barrage EIA delayed: Maharashtra

The Maharashtra government is reportedly wondering why Telangana has started construction of the inter-State Chanka-Korata barrage across Penganga river in Jainad mandal of Adilabad district without conducting the mandatory Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) public meeting.

Officials concerned from the neighbouring State are of the opinion that the hurry in construction and delay in conducting the EIA public meeting has hardly left any scope or time for them to give required suggestions on mitigation measures for safe passage of wild animals from Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary to Kawal Tiger Reserve in erstwhile undivided Adilabad district.

Though construction work started soon after the two governments agreed to construct three inter-State barrages on Penganga on the borders of Adilabad in Telangana and Yavatmal district in Maharashtra in 2016, the Environmental Impact Assessment public meeting for the barrage in question and its pump house will be conducted at Pippalkuti village in Tamsi mandal on May 24.

As per the agreement Telangana will draw its share of 1.2 tmcft of the available 1.5 tmcft water from Chanaka Korata while the remaining 0.3 tmcf will be utilised by the neighbouring State.

The Maharashtra government, it is understood, came to know of the developments regarding the construction and the EIA public meeting only recently and it hurriedly constituted a three-member committee with top Forest Department officials to take stock of the situation.

The committee headed by the Field Director of Pench Tiger Reserve, visited the site a couple of days ago and found the construction to be in an advanced stage, according to sources.

“Yes, the officials visited our site and we answered all questions with regard to their concerns. They found the construction not to be a hindrance so far as safe passage of wild animals is concerned,” contended a Chanaka-Korata engineering official.

“How can we formulate mitigation measures without looking into the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the project and the notification with regard to the EIA being conducted so late,” said a Maharashtra official apparently smarting for being kept in the dark. It is learnt that the authorities in that State had requested for a copy of the DPR from their counterparts here.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Committee is likely to send its representative to the EIA public meeting on Thursday to raise its concern and submit the mitigation measures. “This will show our government in bad light,” another Engineering official said as he seemed to be worried.