Karnataka: 10 years after SBWL panel red flag, mini hydel project seeks nod for renewal

Bengaluru: More than 10 years after a sub-committee of the State Board for Wildlife (SBWL), comprising cricketer Anil Kumble, submitted a report against the lease of forest land to a power generation company in Shivanasamudra, the Forest department is now considering an application for renewing the lease.

In October 2005, the government leased 12 acres to Pioneer Power Corporation Ltd to set up a mini hydel project. The land parcel at Shivanasamudra on Cauvery river was given to the company for 20 years to generate electricity.

The government leased the land on 15 conditions, including a stricture to return the unutilised land and that concealing facts and submitting false data would lead to withdrawal of all clearances.

In 2012, the SBWL set up a sub-committee to look into the feasibility of a project and its impact on wildlife.The sub-committee, comprising then co-vice chairman of State Board for Wildlife Anil Kumble, principal secretary of the Forest department and four others visited the spot and found problems in the existing project and the new proposal.

The sub-committee found that Pioneer Corporation Limited was trying to sublease the land. This not only violated the government order but also the lease agreement with the forest department. As per the agreement, permission by the deputy conservator of forests was mandatory for assigning any part of the land for “any person.”

The sub-committee report, available with DH, found the owner of Pioneer and the company seeking sublease belonged to the same person. “The lease agreement signed by M/s Pioneer Power Corporation Limited and the Deputy Conservator of Forests, Kollegal division, on 26-10-2005, is also signed by Sailesh Reddy. There are several other documents that have been signed by Sailesh Reddy for both the projects indicating that these two projects are the same and are governed by the same person,” the
report said.

The report also exposed the modus operandi adopted by the power companies to escape scrutiny.It said companies setting up mini hydel projects (below 25 MW) were “purposefully” getting “extra forest area” which would be later used for “expansion/or installation of new turbines” by making it look like a new project.

Wildlife affected

The sub-committee referred to the report of the High Court-appointed Elephant Task Force which had said that the project will affect the wildlife. “The penstocks and impounded water can create a significant obstacle to the movement of wildlife, particularly long-distance foraging animals such as elephants,” it said.

Citing the facts and findings, the committee not only opposed expansion of hydel power in the area but also said that permission should not have been given for setting up the power project.

Further, it recommended the SBWL not to renew Pioneer’s lease after the 20-year term. “There should be no renewal of lease of the area on the date of expiry of the lease on 25-10-2025 in the interest of wildlife protection and forest conservation. The sub-committee therefore concludes that the proposal should be rejected,” the report said, concluding that Pioneer was “in violation” of the lease conditions.

Escaping scrutiny

Conservationist Giridhar Kulkarni said mini hydel projects have caused havoc mainly by escaping scrutiny.

“The government’s exemption of environment clearance to such projects has led to a tragedy of huge proportions. We do not have baseline data of the area. There is no wildlife management plan. A holistic study of their impacts needs to be taken up to ensure that past mistakes are not repeated. Now, the department is making Kumble its brand ambassador. We hope that the government takes the report of the sub-committee seriously,” he said.