The Karnataka government had not conducted environment impact study before granting permission to Yettinahole drinking water project near Sakleshpur in Hassan district, a petitioner opposing the project contended before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday.
The Principal bench of the NGT chaired by Justice Jawad Rahim started the final hearing of a batch of petitions opposing the controversial project.
Advocates Ritwick Dutta and Prince Issac appearing for petitioner and environment activist K N Somashekar said that the forest clearance was granted by the state government for the project without conducting environment impact study and damage that would be caused to bio-diversity of the Western Ghats due to the massive project.
Around 13.92 hectares of forest land is being used at the ecologically-sensitive Western Ghats for the project, the advocates said. Hearing will continue on Thursday.