HYDERABAD: In a temporary setback for Telangana government, the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Union environment ministry refused to recommend environmental clearance for Kaleshwaram major irrigation project.
“The EAC does not recommend the project for scoping clearance and suggests that in-principle clearance of CWC be submitted before the project is considered for scoping/ToR clearance,” according to the minutes of the EAC’s recent meeting in Delhi.
However, this decision of EAC was temporary and not outright rejection of the Kaleshwaram project. If the state government got in-principle clearance from CWC, the EAC may again consider the proposal for environment clearance.
The minutes of the second meeting of the EAC for River Valley and Hydroelectric Projects held last month are: Kaleshwaram project proponent made a detailed presentation on the project and inter-alia, provided the following information.
The project envisages construction of a barrage across river Godavari near Medigadda village in Karimnagar district of Telangana for diversion of 180 TMC water for providing irrigation facility in 7,38,851 hectares covering erstwhile Adilabad, Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Warangal, Medak, Nalgonda and Rangareddy.