No Supreme Court restrain on Kalasa work: Karnataka tells wildlife board

Panaji: The standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife has deferred Karnataka’s proposal for the use of 10.7ha of forest land from the tiger corridor between Kali and Sahyadri tiger reserves for construction works for the Kalasa nullah water diversion scheme.
The Standing Committee has said that Karnataka should submit in writing the factual position pertaining to the legal issues relating to the project and said that this submission will be examined by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
During the recent meeting, Karnataka tried to reject Goa’s argument against the water diversion project through the forest area, stating that Supreme Court has not restrained Karnataka from carrying out the work. Karnataka govt has also taken the stand that the matter is not sub-judice.
Karnataka has told the standing committee that the water bodies created as a result of the project will, contrary to Goa’s submission, help wildlife.
“The chief wildlife warden, Karnataka, mentioned that the project area is not part of any sanctuary but lies within a tiger corridor. The water bodies that would be created upon execution of this project would be useful for wildlife and requested the standing committee for recommending the project proposal. The chairman suggested that the facts narrated by the additional chief secretary may be submitted before the standing committee in writing,” the minutes of the meeting read.
Karnataka has submitted the proposal stating that the 10ha of forest from the tiger corridor is required for construction of diversion weir, jack well-cum-pump house, electrical substation, pipeline and powerline in Kankumbi and other villages for construction of Kalasa nullah diversion scheme in Khanapur taluka, Belagavi.
The chief wildlife warden, Goa, had issued an order restraining the execution of works pending recommendations under Section 29 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Against this order, Karnataka govt had filed an application in Supreme Court.
The NTCA constituted committee carried out the site inspection. The NTCA forwarded the report mentioning that the matter is related to sharing of water between Goa and Karnataka and is currently pending before Supreme Court. The NTCA had suggested that these facts may be taken into consideration by the standing committee.
The standing committee had accordingly deferred the matter at its previous meeting noting that the matter is sub-judice.
However, Karnataka at the recent meeting has claimed before the standing committee that the matter is not sub-judice.
“State govt of Goa filed cases twice in Supreme Court which were not entertained. The additional chief secretary, govt of Karnataka, further informed the standing committee that state govt of Karnataka has given undertaking in Supreme Court to the effect that no work under this project would be started unless all clearances from the central govt have been received. Supreme Court has not restrained the state govt and the matter is not sub-judice. The expert committee from the NTCA has carried out site inspection and recommended the project,” Karnataka has told the standing committee.