Lok Sabha Question No. 2832 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-21
Subject: Environment Impact Assessment of Ken Betwa Project
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 2832

TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.03.2022

## Environment Impact Assessment of the Ken Betwa Project

## 2832.    SHRI ADHIR RANJAN CHOWDHURY:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been conducted for the Ken Betwa Project, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has studied the impact of the project on the local tiger population  in  the  Panna  Tiger  Reserve  keeping  in  view  that  the  project  will submerge nearly 100 sq.km of the core area of this Reserve of which 10 per cent is critical tiger habitat;
- (c) whether  any  consultations  were  held  with  local  populations  and  environmental experts prior to the project approval; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a)  &  (b)  The  KenBetwa  Project  is  a  river  link  project  with  the  main  aim  of  transferring surplus water of Ken basin to water deficit Betwa basin. The project is to be implemented in two phases namely:

1. Ken-Betwa Link Project Phase - I
2. Ken-Betwa Link Project, Phase-II

The Ken-Betwa Link Project Phase - I comprises following components:

- i. Construction of an earth fill and concrete dam near Daudhan village on Ken river
- ii. Link canal for transferring water from Ken river to Betwa basin

The Ken-Betwa Link Project, Phase-II envisages construction of following projects:

- i. Lower Orr Dam  project at Village Didoni, Tehsil Chanderi, District Ashoknagar, Madhya Pradesh
- ii. Kotha  Barrage  major  irrigation  project  at  Village  Kotha,  Tehsil  Kurwai, District Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh
- iii. Bina  Complex  Multipurpose  Project  (32MW)  at  Village  Chakarpur,  Tehsil Sagar, District Sagar in Madhya Pradesh

The Ministry has delineated a detailed procedure for comprehensive assessment of environmental  and  social  impacts  of  the  project  in  the  Environment  Impact  Assessment Notification,  2006,  as  amended;  which inter-alia provides  for  preparation  of  Environment Impact  Assessment (EIA) Report, Environmental Management  Plan  (EMP),  Disaster Management Plan (DMP) and Public Consultation. The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) comprising  domain  area  experts,  after  detailed  examination  and  deliberation  on  various environmental  and  social  aspects  of  the  project,  recommends  the  project  for  grant  of Environmental Clearance (EC) by suggesting suitable mitigation measures and Environment Management to minimize the environmental and social impacts associated with the project. The  following  projects  under  Ken-  Betwa  Link  project  have  been  granted  EC  under  the provisions  of  the  EIA  Notification,  2006,  as  amended  after  detailed  appraisal  by  the EAC/SEAC constituted by the Ministry:

## Phase I

Ken-Betwa Link Project Phase-I at Village Daudhan, Tehsil Bijawar, District Chhatarpurin Madhya Pradesh (EC has been accorded by MoEF&CC on 25.08.2017)

## Phase II

Bina  Complex  Multipurpose  Project  (32MW)  at  Village  Chakarpur,  Tehsil  Sagar, District Sagar in Madhya Pradesh (EC has been accorded by MoEF&CC on 22.02.2017) Kotha Barrage major irrigation project at Village Kotha, Tehsil Kurwai, District Vidisha, Madhya  Pradesh  (EC  has  been  accorded  by  State  Environmental  Impact  Assessment Authority, MP on 21.08.2020).

The Standing Committee of National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has assessed the various impacts  due  to  implementation  of  Ken-Betwa  link  projectincluding  loss  of  tiger  habitat  of 105 sq.km in Panna Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, inlight of the combined site inspection report  of  National  Tiger  Conservation  Authority  (NTCA),  Wildlife  Institute  of  India  (WII) and two members of Standing Committeeof National Board for Wildlife.  After discussion, the  Standing  Committeeof  National  Board  for  Wildliferecommended  the  project  with  the conditions as prescribed by site inspection team and NTCA. Accordingly, wildlife clearance was granted to the project on 21 st September, 2016.

- (c)  &  (d)  The  Madhya  Pradesh  Pollution  Control  Board  (MPPCB)  has  conducted  public hearing  following  the  procedure  prescribed  under  the  EIA  Notification,  2006  for  each individual project of Ken Betwa Link Project Phase I and Phase II, which have been granted EC, as per schedule mentioned as under:
- i. Ken-Betwa  Link  Project  Phase-I at  Village  Daudhan,  Tehsil  Bijawar,  District Chhatarpurin  Madhya  Pradesh-  Public  notice  published  on  21 st &  23 rd November, 2014 in local News Paper DainikBhaskar and Hindustan regarding public hearing.The Public Hearing was conducted on 23 rd & 27 th December, 2014 in Chattarpur& Panna Districts respectively.
- ii. Ken-Betwa Link Project, Phase-II-Bina Complex Multipurpose Project (32MW) at  Village  Chakarpur,  Tehsil  Sagar,  District  Sagar  in  Madhya  Pradesh-  Public noticePublishedon 13.04.2016 in local News Paper DainikBhaskar and NaiDuniya in Raisen, Vidisha (Patrika and Dainikbhaskar on 13.04.2016) and Sagar (DanikBhaskar on  26.04.2016  and  Hindustan  Times  on  27.04.2016)  Districts.  The  Public  Hearing was conducted in Raisen District on 18 th May, 2016, Vidhisha District on 20 th May, 2016 and in Sagar District on 27 th May, 2016 respectively.

iii. Ken-Betwa  Link  Project,  Phase-II-Kotha  Barrage  major  irrigation  project at Village  Kotha,  Tehsil  Kurwai,  District  Vidisha,  Madhya  Pradesh-  Public  notice published for conducting Public Hearing on  8 th June, 2018 in Hindi Daily, 'DainikBhaskar',  'Nav-Dunia'  daily  newspaper  of  Vidisha  on  8 th June,  2019.The Public Hearing was conducted on 10 th July, 2019 in District Vidisha.

The public notice was published in local and national newspapers one month prior to the date of  public  hearing  to  receive  the  comments  from  general  public.  The  EAC  at  the  time  of appraisal  of  the  project  for  grant  of  EC  considered  the  comments  received  during  public consultation.

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