No proposal from state on Kalasa-Banduri, SC told

The Union government has told the Supreme Court that it has received no proposal from Karnataka for environmental clearance of the Kalasa-Banduri project. It has also not accorded any permission to Karnataka for the project so far, it said.

The construction of the project in the ecologically-sensitive area of Western Ghats in the Mahadayi basin in Karnataka involved submergence of 258 hectares of forests. It was described as an “ecological bomb” by Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, for its “negative impact on the state's ecology.” Karnataka, for its part, said work on the project, meant to improve drinking water supply to the twin cities of Hubballi-Dharwad and the districts of Belagavi and Gadag, has almost been completed in 2014.

“According to the records of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, no proposal has been received from Karnataka for scoping/environmental clearance,” an affidavit filed by the ministry’s officer said. “Carrying out any non-forestry activity on forest land without obtaining prior approval of the central government amounts to violation of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980,” it said.

The response came on the apex court's direction after Mahadayi Bachao Abhiyan, a group of activists and environmentalists, contended before the court that the project was continuing without any approval under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 and other related clearances from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.

However, the Union government submitted that Karnataka had in 2001 sent two proposals for construction of dams.

But in view of the controversy on sharing of Mahadayi water between Karnataka and Goa, it was recommended that the project may be accorded clearance only after the dispute is settled, it said.

Karnataka maintained that it will not utilise or divert water of Mahadayi river without obtaining necessary clearance or permission under law.