Environmental Clearance and Wildlife Clearance for Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP) have been granted by the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) and the National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) respctively, of the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC), vide their Orders dated 25.08.2017 and 21.09.2016, with certain conditions for fulfillment.

 

Subsequently, the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) examined the Wildlife Clearance of KBLP, on the direction of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, vide order dated 14.08.2018, in consultation with National Water Development Agency (NWDA), MoEF&CC and Governments of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The CEC submitted its report to the Hon'ble Supreme Court on 30.08.2019. Some issues were raised concerning the likely adverse impact of the project on Panna Tiger Reserve. These concerns have been responded to by the NWDA vide their letter dated 24.07.2020.

 

The hydrological studies of KBLP have been carried out by National Institute of Hydrology (NIH), Roorkee and duly scrutinized and appraised by Central Water Commission (CWC). After techno-economical appraisal of all aspects of the project, including hydrology, the project was cleared by the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) of the Ministry of Jal Shakti in its 129th meeting held on 8th July, 2016. The annual yield of Ken river at proposed Daudhan dam site has been assessed at 6,590 MCM at 75 percent dependability. After reserving 2,266 MCM for upstream requirements in Ken basin and 494 MCM of water for ecological needs, 4,050 MCM of water is proposed to be utilized for irrigation and drinking water. About 442 MCM of water is estimated to be coming back to the streams through regeneration. Thus, there is adequate water available at the location to meet water requirement for the project.

It is estimated that total submergence due to Daudhan reservoir shall be 9,000 ha including 4,141 ha of Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR) core, 1,314 ha of PTR buffer and 2,171 ha of village land of 10 villages. About 1,913 families will be affected in these villages.

 As a part of Stage-I clearance, a Landscape Management Plan (LMP) of entire PTR, including Ken Gharial Sanctuary, is being prepared by National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and Wildlife Institute of India (WII), which would provide options for habitat consolidation and conservation of Panna landscape. The proposed Panna landscape has been identified by keeping PTR in the centre and connecting all the adjoining forest divisions as well as Nauradehi (MP), Rani Durgawati (MP) and Ranipur (UP) wildlife sanctuaries. The LMP includes 11 districts (3 in UP and 8 in MP) and a total area of around 47,620 sq. km. Total forest area in the landscape is 12,125 sq. km. The stakeholders as well as the forest managers and experts have been consulted at every stage of preparation of LMP.

The project is thus aimed at not only providing water security in the Bundelkhand region but also ensuring the overall conservation of the region, especially for the landscape dependent species such as tiger, vultures and gharials.

This Information was given by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Bishweswar Tudu in a written  reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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