NAGPUR: The state-level committee on Monday put on record the series of violations by
Telangana irrigation department in construction of
Chanaka-Korta, and BR Ambedkar barrages near
Tipeshwar (Yavatmal), and Chaprala (Gadchiroli) wildlife sanctuaries respectively. The Telangana irrigation department did not submit the projects plans as directed, which are required to plan the mitigation measures, though it agreed to do both at the next meeting.
Sources said the nine-member committee of officials, experts and NGOs met on Monday. Chief engineer K Bhagwanth Rao of Telangana irrigation department had been asked by the
State Wildlife Board (SWBL) members Kishor Rithe and Anish Andheria to come with detailed canal plans and its lengths for both projects, so mitigation measures could be suggested. Rithe even suggested having pipes instead of open canals.
However, sources said Telangana officials could not submit data on canals on Monday. “Hence, it was decided to meet again. As a section of officials and members have already visited Chanaka, a site visit to Pranhita project near Chaprala has been planned on June 13. The project is just 232 metres away from the sanctuary,” said Uday Patel, member and honorary warden of Gadchiroli.
On Monday, the Telangana officials decided to correct their mistake by coming back with canal plans and measures to be taken thereon. The SBWL has already cleared the two projects with a condition that user agency should deposit 2% of the project cost for developing habitat and protection works in the sanctuaries.
For BR Ambedkar project, Telangana officials refused to agree to one of the conditions, to relocate Prashant Dham temple from inside Chaprala. The temple is a huge source of disturbance due to influx of visitors for various events.
As reported by TOI, work on both projects started even before Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) was done. Even though the projects fall within 10km of the protected areas, no clearance from the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has been sought. The work on Rs400 crore Chanaka project is 50% complete and Rs235 crore have already been spent.
As per the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, EIA is mandatory. MoEFCC’s notification of 2006 and 2009 says “purpose of EIA is to identify and evaluate the potential impacts (beneficial & adverse) of projects on the environmental system”. However, no EIA has been done for both projects.
The Rs400 crore Chanaka-Korata (Rudha) project on Painganga river, which stands to mostly benefit Telangana, is 3.5km from the boundary of Tipeshwar sanctuary, while BR Ambedkar project in Asifabad (Telangana) is located 1.5km upstream at the confluence of Wardha and Wainganga rivers, near Chamorshi district of Gadchiroli. The total length of the barrage is 6,450 metres.
The BR Ambedkar project plans to irrigate 2 lakh acres of land in Komarabheem-Asifabad and Mancherial districts. Similarly, Chanaka will bring about 5,444 hectare land of Telangana and 1,210 hectare of Maharashtra under irrigation, and will facilitate drinking water to 14 villages with a population of 17,340.