Conditional nod for Yaragol project

The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests has given in principle preliminary approval to the long-awaited Yaragol irrigation project.

The sanction for the Rs 160-crore project comes with as many as 17 riders. If implemented, the project would supply water to three taluks and 45 villages of the parched Kolar district. It entails acquisition of 62.07 hectares of forest land. The MoEF gave the approval on March 29.

17 riders

According to a letter written by Assistant Inspector General of Forests Umakanth to State’s principal chief conservator of forests, a copy of which is available with Deccan Herald, the final clearance for the project is subject to compliance with 17 conditions. The implementing agency - Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWSSB) has to abide by the conditions laid down by the Forest Advisory Committee.

The conditions stipulate that there shall be no change of ownership of the forest land and an equal extent of land should be brought under afforestation. The land acquired for the project (both forest and non-forest) should be notified as reserve forest. The State government should recover the net present value of the forest land consumed for the project from the implementing agency - KUWSSB. Any additional levy, if found necessary, should also be collected. At the time of seeking final approval, the Board and the Forest department together should submit a catchment area treatment plan (CAT plan). A resettlement and rehabilitation plan (R&R plan) should be formulated for the project-displaced families and the regional office of the Environment and Forest ministry should strictly follow its implementation. A report should also be submitted on the compliance. The responsibility of rehabilitation vests entirely with the State government.

Water for afforestation

Trees should not be felled indiscriminately and should be resorted to only when extremely necessary for the project with prior permission of the department. The Board should provide free water supply for afforestation-related work. The State government should provide five per cent of the project cost to the Forest department towards conservation of flora and fauna in and around the project site and should strictly comply with the Forest Rights Act. Transfer of forest land for the project is subject to compliance of all forest and environment laws.

Kolar deputy conservator of forests Anil Kumar Rathna has addressed a letter to executive engineer of the Board on April 13 detailing the steps to be taken for complying with the conditions laid down by the MoEF. The DCF has stated that the Board should deposit a sum of Rs 65 lakh as afforestation charges, Rs 4.98 crore as net present value of the forest land to be acquired (calculated at Rs 8.03 lakh per hectare) and payment of Rs eight crore (five per cent of the project cost) for afforestation and other conservation measures at the project site.

Money depo sited

KUWSSB executive engineer Venkatesh told Deccan Herald that a sum of Rs 5.60 crore has been deposited with the district administration two years ago towards compensation. He said the Board was ready to begin the work on the project at any time.

The conditional sanction by the MoEF has come as a huge relief for the district reeling under acute water scarcity.