After Centre's rap, state revises forest diversion proposal for Yettinahole project

Bengaluru: Following the Union environment ministry's objection to its "piecemeal" requests for diverting forest lands, the Karnataka government has recommended the diversion of 428 acres of forest in Hassan and Tumakuru districts for the Yettinahole drinking water project, with officials hoping that an early clearance from the Centre would help expedite the project.

As per the documents reviewed by DH, the additional chief secretary of the state forest department wrote to the Union environment ministry, on March 17, seeking in-principle (Stage 1) approval for the diversion of 428 acres of forest by the Visvesvaraya Jala Nigam Limited (VJNL). The recommendation, including the request for felling of 9,000 trees, puts to rest the controversy surrounding piecemeal proposals and violations.

The Union environment ministry last year asked the state government to avoid such tactics, particularly in the case of Yettinahole project. In August 2024, a regional officer of the Union ministry wrote to the state government raising concerns about forest diversion requests for various projects.

Notably, the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the Yettinahole project estimated the total land required for the project to be over 2,965 acres, of which 50 per cent was located in forest. However, the state government has been requesting forest lands in bits and pieces, in violation of the guidelines that stipulate avoiding multiple piecemeal diversions for a single project. Such tactics could also mislead the stakeholders on the total environmental and ecological damage caused by the projects.

"In the year 2016, a proposal for diversion of 13.93 hectares (34.42 acres). The state government shall offer its comments on whether the instant proposal for diversion of 10.1301 hectares (25 acres) is linked to the Yettinahole project. If the proposals are linked, the state shall submit the justification for submitting the proposal in a piecemeal manner," Deputy Inspector General of Forests (Central) Praneetha Paul noted, seeking a "consolidated proposal".

The letter had also flagged the violations by the implementing authorities, which was communicated to the state government in 2019. Analysis of satellite imagery had shown that the authorities had taken up work in forest areas outside the diverted patches.

In response, the VJNL acknowledged the errors and said four proposals submitted at different times have been withdrawn in favour of the comprehensive proposal.

With regard to violations, the agency stated that works were taken up in Shivapurakaval, Nayakanakere Kaval and Aidahallakaval of Hassan district without realising that the land was forest. "The work has been stopped when these were identified as forest. Hence the construction activity done in the above said areas...were not intentional or willful," he said.

The project cost, originally estimated at Rs 8323.50 crore, has been revised time and again with the last year's estimate of Rs 23,251.66 crore likely to be revised upwards in the coming months. The VJNL had cited the pending diversion of 508 acres of forest as one of the several reasons for the delay. The agency has been applying for forest diversions in bits and pieces.

An activist noted that the piecemeal clearance has led to lack of any assessment on the damage caused to the environment. "The damage is not just to the forest but to the ecology, environment of a critically sensitive area of the Western Ghats. Till date, no assessment has been made to understand the loss, which is crucial for any restoration work," he noted.

VJNL officials could not be reached for a comment. To a question, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Head of Forest Force) Meenakshi Negi said the department has now processed the request of the state government as per the law and directions from the Centre. "We will look into the request for assessment of damage," she said.