Ken-Betwa river link project to impact Panna Tiger Reserve:EAC

The Centre's ambitious Rs 9,393 crore Ken-Betwa river interlinking project will impact "very significantly" the Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh, a green panel has said while suggesting that the issue needs to be studied more carefully before granting final green signal.
The Environment Ministry gives green nod to 'A' category projects based on the recommendations of its Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC).
The observations made by EAC could delay the project in getting the green clearances from the ministry. Consequently, the work on the project, linking Ken river in Madhya Pradesh to Betwa river in Uttar Pradesh, might miss the December deadline.

"In the latest meeting, EAC noted that in this project the Panna Tiger Reserve was being affected very significantly and all aspects of this project in relation to this disturbance to the reserve need to be studied and assessed more carefully," a senior Environment Ministry official said.
Panna Tiger Reserve falls within 10-km radius of the project, which would submerge an area of 9,000 hectares. Of which 5,258 hectares are forest land (including 4,141 hectares Panna Tiger Reserve), as per the proposal submitted by the Water Resources Ministry.
The EAC also noted that the Land Scape Management Plan (LSMP) is being prepared by Wildlife Institute of India for the mitigation measures to be taken up in the Panna Tiger Reserve and Ghariyal Sanctuary, the official said.

"Since many of the members of the EAC are from expert organisations which are responsible for the preparation of the LSMP, there could be some conflict of interest. In fact, one member had sought opinion on this and he was advised to recluse himself when this project is discussed."

Under these circumstances, EAC said it will be appropriate that a second opinion from a non-government expert is obtained. The EAC will discuss the issue in the next meeting and select the external expert for the purpose, the official said.
The official said, "EAC will review the proposal and reconsider again for environment clearance after obtaining a second opinion on the LSMP from an external expert."

According to the Water Resources Ministry, a total of 10 villages consisting of 1,585 families are likely to be affected by this project.
The project envisages construction of a dam across river Ken in Chhatarpur district in Madhya Pradesh to irrigate 6.35 lakh hectare area of land, drinking water purposes and generation of 78 MW hydropower.