Govt puts Pathala Gange project on hold

Faced with stiff opposition from environmentalists and Opposition parties, the state government on Monday decided not to go ahead with the implementation of the Pathala Gange project until all doubts are clarified.

Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Minister H K Patil told reporters that he will soon place the project proposal along with concerns expressed by various sections of society, including experts, before the state Cabinet. The government will share the information with the Centre and Niti Aayog on the issue, he added.

Besides, the government will hold a consultation with noted geologist Dr Raghunath Mashelkar in this regard before taking the final decision, he said. He was speaking after holding a meeting with environmentalists and representatives of non-government organisations on the issue. The RDPR officials gave a power-point presentation on the project with all the technical specifications. But, a majority of the environmentalists and representatives of NGOs are said to have opposed the project.

The minister further said many experts expressed concern about the project, while others expressed doubts on the technology proposed to be used. The project proposes to locate underground hydrological resources using deep-drilling expertise to extract water. It is proposed to set up two such units at different locations in the state, each costing Rs 12.48 crore, he added.

The project has met with opposition from various sections of society, including Opposition parties. BJP’s S Suresh Kumar had demanded that the government immediately drop the proposal. He had said that the project will disturb the ecological balance and goes against nature. Several geology experts and environmentalists had corroborated this view.