The Union Ministry for Environment and Forests has cleared with riders the Telangana government proposal for diversion of 3,168 hectares of forest land for the Kaleshwaram project.

In a letter addressed to Principal Secretary, Environment, Telangana, the Union Ministry has informed that after considering the State's proposal and the recommendation of the Forest Advisory Committee, in principle Stage I approval was granted to convert forestland for the project across eight divisions.

They include Mahadevpur, Karimnagar-Sircilla, Siddipet, Yadadri, Medak, Nizamabad, Banswada and Nirmal forest divisions for the construction of canal systems, surge pool, delivery cistern and reservoirs, all related to the Kaleshwaram project. The Ministry has imposed certain conditions to be complied with.

In the letter, it said that after the receipt of a report on compliance of the conditions stipulated from the Telangana government, Stage II /final approval of the central government would be given in accordance with the provisions of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 by the Ministry.

The Ministry has asked the government not to transfer the land to the user agency till the receipt of the approval of the central government for diversion of the forest land in these divisions. A senior official said the government would assess the requirements of compensatory afforestation as well as the amount to be paid to the forest department for obtaining Stage II clearance.

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