Environment clearance for Ken-Betwa project to get delayed

The Centre's wait for Ken-Betwa river linking project's environment clearance (EC) has got longer as the Union environment ministry's expert committee has questioned the Madhya Pradesh government's decision to overrule its own senior wildlife officers who opposed state wildlife clearance for the project. While appraising the project for EC earlier this month, the expert committee on hydroelectric projects and river valley projects observed that director, Panna Tiger Reserve and even state chief wildlife warden were against giving a wildlife nod for the project. Soon after he opposed the project, R Sreenivas Murthy, the former director of Panna Tiger Reserve was transferred to Kuno wildlife sanctuary.

The committee noted, "Panna tiger reserve had not recommended the project, as per the agenda of the Board (State wildlife board) meeting and the board had over-ruled him and approved the project without recording detailed reasons for such rejection."

Further, HS Kingra, vice-chairman and member of the expert committee made observations regarding the project's potential impact on the Panna Tiger Reserve and the breeding grounds of vulture. "It was seen that submergence of 4141 hectares of the PTR is a serious issue and need to be studied by some independent expert committee and the findings of such committee be placed before the MP State Wild Life Board (MPSWLB) and NBWL."

Questioning the Madhya Pradesh State Wildlife Board's (MPSWLB) decision to overrule senior wildlife officers of the state, Kingra added, "How and what expertise the MPSWLB had over and above the technical advice rendered by Director Panna and state chief wildlife warden of MP is not clear from the minutes or agenda notes place before the MPSWLB. It is understood that as per convention and the extant Rules of Business of the State Government the SCWLW must be the chief technical adviser to the Government of MP on matters related to wildlife."

In the backdrop of opposition from senior wildlife officers to the project, Kingra suggested that an independent committee of three experts should be formed by the environment ministry to give specific recommendations regarding submergence of the tiger reserve and habitat loss of breeding vultures. The suggestion was accepted by the expert committee. The committee subsequently also decided to look at granting the project environment clearance only after the Centre has considered it for final wildlife clearance.

The Ken-Betwa river linking project's primary objective is to provide irrigation for 6.35 lakh hectares in Panna, Chhattarpur, Tikamgarh districts of Madhya Pradesh and Banda, Mahoba and Jhansi districts of Uttar Pradesh. It will submerge 9,000 hectares of which 5,258 hectares is forest land including 4,141 hectares of the Panna Tiger Reserve. A total of 10 villages consisting of 1,585 families are likely to be affected by this project and the total cost is about Rs 9393 crore.