Water project stuck over use of forest land

Belagavi: The Ghatti Basavanna drinking water scheme, which can cater to the needs of 131 villages in Gokak and Hukkeri taluks, has been in the trouble.
The project, estimated to cost Rs 990 crore and granted tender after clearances from the state government including the forest department, involves 575 hectares of forest land in the Ghataprabha forest division.
According to the sources in the Karnataka Niravari Nigam Limited (KNNL), the implementing agency, the Union ministry for environment, has not given approval to the project saying that forest land, a habitat for wild animals, would be used for a project.
The project is about constructing a dam at the downside where river Markandeya and Ballari Nala join in Gokak taluk. The dam is expected to store 6 tmcft of water to cater the needs of 131 villages. This also helps to protect Gokak town from flooding, a problem every year. The dam water will also be used to fill the lakes in Gokak, Hukkeri, Bailhongal and Savadatti taluks and to supply water to industries.
An office of KNNL said the project has not been cleared by the Union environment ministry despite several correspondences and clearing the file is only possible by high-level influence at Centre.
Speaking to the media persons, Arabhavi Congress leader Lakkanna Sansuddi said instead of the Ghatti Basavanna project, if the government would have focussed on desilting of Dupadal Dam in Gokak taluk, the water could be used for nine assembly segments including Terdal, Mudhol, Bilagi and Jamkhandi by storing 6.5 tmcft water.
However, KNNL engineer Nagesh Kolkar, said the Dupadal Dam has capacity of less than half tmcft.