Banduri nala: MoEF panel seeks conservation plan from Karnataka

Bengaluru: Over nine months after one arm of the Kalasa nala of the Mahadayi project was referred to the National Tiger Conservation Authority, a central committee of experts has asked the state government to come up with a biodiversity conservation plan for diversion of forest to make way for Banduri nala, the second arm, for which the government has sought forest.

For the Banduri nala, the Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited had sought diversion of 70.28 acres of forest land in Khanapur of Belagavi district. The project is aimed at providing drinking water to Hubballi-Dharwad twin cities. The nala is to transport 2.18 tmc of water from Malaprabha to Naviluteertha dam in Belagavi.

Planned in 2002, the project has been delayed due to several reasons, including the opposition from Goa. Karnataka, however, has pointed to the Mahadayi tribunal award, which gave a total of 3.9 tmc ft of water to the state (1.72 tmc ft from Kalasa and 2.18 tmc ft from Banduri).

The old plan for Banduri nala included submergence of hundreds of acres of land, including 554 acres of forest, to build a tall dam and enable gravity flow.

However, the proposal has been revised to seek only 70.28 acres of forest apart from revenue land. About 10,000 trees stand in the way of the project, as per the enumeration records. In January, the regional empowered committee of the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC) had sought clarifications from Karnataka, including the comments of the chief wildlife warden on the impact of the project as the land sought by Karnataka “is rich in biodiversity and wildlife”. The forest is located 30 metres away from the Bhimigad wildlife sanctuary.

The response by the state authorities failed to convince the committee when the proposal was taken up recently.

It also underscored that specific comments regarding the impact of the forest diversion on the wildlife had not been provided.

“The state has to prepare a biodiversity conservation plan considering the fact that in and around the proposed area for diversion is a habitat for endangered animals such as tiger, leopard and other flora and fauna,” it said.

Officials said the state authorities had submitted the response to the query on the wildlife impact.

“A new weir is being constructed, which will benefit from the storage of water. There was also a clear line that the project will have minimum impact on biodiversity in the area,” an official said. The committee decided to visit the area before taking a decision on the proposal.