State government slaps notice on Hydel project

BANGALORE: The state Forest Department has slapped an eviction notice on Limbavali Mini Hydel Project which was allegedly established violating all forest norms in Malavalli taluk in Mandya district inside the reserve forest range.According to sources, the project was an initiative by senior BJP leader and former minister Aravind Limbavali and commissioned in 2005 after throwing all norms to winds.The hydel project, which faces eviction, now also encroached the elephant corridor across Cauvery river in Mandya district.Forest officials have issued notices to the power company under Forest Act of 64(a) for not obtaining permission to establish the project. Limbavali, who is also the BJP legislator had reportedly transferred equity in the project to others recently. Sources said that the mini project draws water from Habalur stream, which meets Cauvery river where a check-dam has been erected to source water to the project site.The project developers have got the clearance earlier from the Revenue Department after convincing that the mini hydel project would come up at a barren land belonging to it. “However, no permission was taken from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest which is mandatory,” sources added.All the other infrastructure of the project including penstock, power house and  transmission lines have been established in thick forest areas under the elephant corridor.Confirming the notices issued to project, Vinay Kumar, district conservator of Forests Mandya district, said that the project has been established at the thick forest range in violation of all the norms.