Centre Defers Approval for Yettinahole Project Citing Forest Violations and Landslide Risks.

The Centre has deferred ex-post facto clearance for the gravity canal component of Karnataka’s Yettinahole drinking water project, following reports of unauthorised construction, dumping of muck in forests, and threats to wildlife and the environment, official records show.

At a meeting on October 27, the Environment Ministry's Advisory Committee noted complaints that Phase I of the project had already caused massive landslides and significant damage to the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats, while failing to deliver drinking water to the districts originally targeted by the project.

Given these concerns, the panel emphasized the need for careful evaluation before granting any further environmental clearance.