CHENNAI: National Green Tribunal Southern Zone (NGT SZ) has given its nod to the Rs 565 crore Mettur Sarabanga lift irrigation project, which was inaugurated by chief minister Edapaddi K Palaniswamy on February 27, ahead of polls.
The project, aimed at irrigating 4,200 acres of land in Edappadi, Sankagiri, Omalur and Mettur taulks, diverting surplus water from Mettur reservoir through 100 tanks, lakes and ponds.
Following protest from a section of farmers, former DMK MP A K S Vijayan moved the tribunal alleging the state government neither conducted a proper environment impact assessment (EIA) study nor obtained prior environmental clearance (EC) from the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEF&CC)
So NGT constituted a joint-committee, consisting of representatives from MoEF&CC, state environment impact assessment authority (SIEAA) and Tamil Nadu public works department (PWD) to look into the issue and recommend necessary action, if there are any violations.
According to EIA Notification, 2006 and its subsequent amendments, river valley and hydroelectric projects within 2,000 hectares do not need prior EC.
Citing this, the joint-committee in its report said the Mettur Sarabanga lift irrigation project was exempted from mandatory prior ED rule before commencing construction work.
Though the project activity does not attract the provisions of the EIA Notification, 2006, the state undertook EIA studies through an accredited consultant (WAPCOS Limited), the joint-committee's report said.
The report further mentioned that the government is trying to use flood surplus water for a period of 30 days in a year so that it will be useful for agriculture to recharge ground water in the area. Since the panel did not observe any violation during its inspection, it recommended no environmental compensation or penalties.
Another contention raised by DMK MP was that Centre's consent was required since the interest of TN, Karnataka and Kerala are involved.
The government responded by stating that they were regulating water received from Karnataka and water from Mettur reservoir is being utilised only for the benefit of TN people alone. So NGT SZ disposed of the petition and directed PWD to ensure that existing riparian owners get required water during lean season as far as possible while conserving surplus water.
The district administration was told to ensure that beneficiaries of the project do not discharge untreated sewage or effluents into the river to prevent pollution.