The clarification given by one of the Director Dr S Karekatta of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change that the Kalsa-Banduri is purely a drinking water supply scheme is unrealistic. There is a need to apply provisions of Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification 2006 and its subsequent amendments before giving any clarification.
The proposed Kalsa-Banduri project, falls within the ecologically sensitive area, identified earlier by Karnataka Forests Department and the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel headed by Dr Madhav Gadgil in their report in 2011; and subsequently the high-level working group appointed under the Chairmanship of Dr Kasturirangan in their report of 2013.
Part of the project area in Nerse village for the proposed Bhanduri scheme falls within the eco-sensitive zone of Bhimgadh Wildlife Sanctuary. The Union Ministry of Water Resources had filed a counter affidavit before the Supreme Court on 20/11/2006 that the Union of India has not withdrawn the abeyance letter dated 19/09/2002 pertaining to the diversion of 7.56 TMC of water of Kalsa-Banduri project, nor does it have any intention to do so till the water disputes relating to Mhadei are either amicably settle amongst the party States or adjudicated by the Competent Tribunal.
On 14/08/2018, the Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal had permitted Karnataka to divert 3.9 TMC of water through the Kalsa-Banduri project outside the Mhadei basin after obtaining necessary statutory clearances. Karnataka has already filed a separate Special Leave Petition before the Supreme Court seeking an enhancement of the allocation of water and matter is pending before the Court for the hearing.
The proposed Kalsa dam site is inside the Reserved Forests notified by the Karnataka Forests Department and also the dam site is just 231.27 mtr away from the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary of Goa. Also the Kalsa canal site of Karnataka is 3.17 km away from the Mhadei Sanctuary limits. Though it is mandatory for Karnataka to obtain prior environment clearances, wildlife clearance and other permissions, no such permissions/clearances have been obtained by Karnataka.
Through camera trap techniques, the presence of tigers has already been proved inside the Mhadei Sanctuary of Goa and also the Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary of Karnataka and Tillari region of Maharashtra. This region of the Western Ghats has the flagship species of wildlife like Sloth bears, Leopards, Slender Loris and many more.
The Barapeda cave inside the Bhimgad Sanctuary is only known site for the Wroughton’s free tailed bats (Otomops Wroughtoni), which has been classified under the scheduled 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, is near the proposed Banduri dam.
Now, in the name of the Kalsa-Banduri drinking water project Karnataka has created conditions before the Ministry of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) that this project does not attracts EIA Notification 2006 and subsequent amendments. But in reality, this project of Karnataka needs approval from the National Board for Wildlife of India (NBWL) and clearance under Forests (Conservation) Act 1980 and approval under EIA Notification of 2006 and its subsequent amendments.
The letter of clarification given by the MoEFCC has created confusion as it appeared as if Karnataka has been given the environmental approval. It is very essential to withdraw the letter of MoEFCC dated 17/10/2019 at the earliest. For the State of Goa, Mhadei/Mandovi River is the major lifeline whereas; Karnataka has within its State, the benefit of several inter-state rivers apart from intra-state rivers.
The proposed Kalsa-Banduri project, if it become a reality, is bound to increase the salinity by making this river unfit for drinking water as well as having other disastrous effects upon the marine and human life; at a time when increasing global warming and climate change are affecting the fragile eco-systems of Goa.
