HYDERABAD: The state government’s prestigious Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS) finally gets the green nod. The expert appraisal committee (EAC) of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest recommended the “proposal for grant of environmental clearance” in its meeting held on December 5 in Delhi. The minutes of the meeting were available on Monday. The green nod for the project will be a big boost to the state government. However, the Centre has put some conditions before granting the clearance.
The conditions are: As the submergence area is very large, micro-climatic change conditions in the project area during construction/post-construction period to be reported at regular intervals. Plans for greenbelt development and reservoir rim treatment have to be made in consultation with the state forest department. Preference shall also be given to plant local indigenous species.
Solid waste generated, especially plastic waste, should not be disposed of as landfill material.Construction work to be carried out after following due procedure of Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. At no point of time, land losers shall have grievances on compensation. Displacement shall be taken up only after complete land acquisition is done. Six monthly compliance reports shall be submitted to Regional Office, MoEF, Chennai until completion of the modernisation works.
However, as the state government had informed the High Court against an NGT case, the works shall be confined strictly to drinking water component of project.
The environmental clearance was granted to Kaleswaram project, after conducting public hearings in 15 districts in Telangana and one in Maharashtra in August.
BREAK-UP OF LAND REQUIRED
(in hectares)
Total land required: 37,852
Forest land: 3,168.13
Private land: 34,684
Total submergence area:
18,302
Submergence area in Maharashtra
174.37
SALIENT FEATURES OF KALESHWARAM
Total catchment area of the project: 36,35,437 hectares
Project likely to generate 1,480 lakh cubic metres muck
Compensatory afforestation will be taken up in
5,333.817 hectares
51,44,393 lakh
plants to be raised
Greenbelt to be developed in the barrage site of the project covering a length of 110.2 km and canal bank of116.334 km `16,351.64 crore will be spent for environment management plan