JOIN USNGT clears Yettinahole project
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday allowed the construction of the Yettinahole drinking water project in Sakleshpur taluk in Hassan district, which aims to provide drinking water to drought-hit Tumakuru, Chikkballapur and Kolar districts.
The green panel, headed by Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, in its detailed order said that the project could be allowed since it was to provide drinking water to parched areas of eastern parts of Karnataka.
While dismissing all the petitions seeking to scrap the project, the green panel directed the Karnataka Forest Department and the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) to monitor the project and take action against the project proponent in case of any violations.
"If they (Forest Department and MOEF) want further study while the project is in progress taking into consideration the impact on the Western Ghats, they are at liberty to do so at the stage of implementation," the order said.
Though the NGT had given permission for the project with some conditions on October 6, 2017, before pronouncing a detailed order, the panel's expert member Ranjan Chatterjee retired. Since the new expert member assumed office, the NGT again allowed all the parties to place their arguments before the bench and pronounced the detailed order.
The order quoted the Forest Department, which had said the project did not fall within the prohibited distance of any national park or any wildlife sanctuary.