MPs urged to get clearance for Kalasa Banduri Nala Project before Lok Sabha polls

Former MLC Mohan Limbikai urges MPs to pressure Centre for Kalasa Banduri Nala Project clearances before Lok Sabha polls.

Blaming the BJP-led Union government for the delay in the implementation of the Kalasa Banduri Nala Project, the former MLC Mohan Limbikai has urged members of Parliament from the region to exert pressure on the Centre to get the requisite clearances for the project before the Lok Sabha polls.

Addressing presspersons in Hubballi on Friday, Mr. Limbikai said that Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal delivered the verdict in August 2018 and although the State government applied for getting clearances, the Union government is delaying the issue citing various reasons.

He said after the gazette notification was issued in 2020, the State government prepared a detailed project report (DPR) and sought the requisite permissions from the Centre. However, the Centre is dillydallying on the issue at the behest of the BJP-led Goa government, he said.

Mr. Limbikai said that the State government has submitted all the requisite details seeking clearance for the project when it came up before the Wildlife Board on January 30 this year.

However, till date, neither the board has communicated to the State on the position of its application nor has it sought any further details on the issue, he said.

To a query, he clarified that application before the Wildlife Board has not been rejected and also, there has been no communication to the State government on any other development.

He also said that while the Goa government has reportedly raised objection citing presence of a tiger corridor, a Central team, led by senior official Kaushik, has observed in its report that there is no tiger corridor on the proposed project site.