Yettinahole project damaged ecology, violated conditions: MoEF officers

Bengaluru: Officials of the Union environment ministry, who inspected the forests where the Yettinahole project canals are proposed, have expressed serious concern over several violations, from the unauthorised use of 266.79 acres of forest to the failure to comply with key conditions like landslide mitigation measures.

Visvesvaraya Jala Nigam Limited (VJNL) has sought diversion of 274.35 acres of forest for drawing 24.01 tmcft water from the Western Ghats. Documents show that the officials from the regional office of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) have recommended to their higher ups at the Centre not to clear the project unless the agency taking up the work complies with the conditions.

Started more than a decade ago, the Yettinahole project was taken up without conducting detailed studies on the impact on wildlife and environment. The project received final (‘Stage II’) clearances in September 2016 subject to 33 conditions. However, full details were not provided.

“During the inspection, it has been observed that most of the conditions have not been complied with,” the site inspection report said, adding that the measures for mitigation of landslide and soil erosion recommended by the monitoring committee set up by the National Green Tribunal were also not implemented.

The report flagged major violations during the execution of the project. “A total of 107.97 ha (266.79 acres) of forest area in Hassan division has already been utilised by the user agency without prior permission and hence violated the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980,” the report said, adding that an FIR was filed in February 2019 for constructing a canal before getting approval.

Further, the central officers sought a detailed survey to assess the damage.”Blasting of rocks has resulted in damage to houses in the vicinity of the project. Compensation to the affected has not been provided yet,” said the report by Deputy Inspector General of Forests Praneetha Paul.

Stressing the lack of information on the “cumulative ecological impacts of the project on the Western Ghats”, the report said the proposal sought for diversion of forest should be considered only after the agency complies with all the conditions.

Wildlife mitigation plan

The officer said “robust soil erosion control measures” were “mandatory” along with measures to mitigate impact on wildlife. “A detailed wildlife mitigation plan prepared in consultation with a reputed scientific organisation, vetted by the chief wildlife warden, is a prerequisite for this project,” she said.

S Santhil Kumar, deputy director general forest (Central) agreed with the report, noting that construction of such “long and deep” unprotected canals in the forest area can severely affect movement of the wildlife. “The undersigned is in agreement with the detailed comments made by the inspecting officer,” he said, adding that clearance can be considered only after VJNL addresses all the issues raised in the report.

MoEF report

“A total of 107.97 ha (266.79 acres) of forest area in Hassan division has already been utilised by the user-agency without prior permission and hence violated the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam 1980."