The figure is floated by green activists and is disputed by the authorities, though within the government agencies it varies from 2,247 to 21,000. The trees fall in the verdant forests of Kodagu and the activists could be close to the mark, admit official sources

Protests and campaigns have come to a nought, and the axe is set to fall on over 50,000 trees in the evergreen deciduous forests of Kodagu with an expert panel giving its nod to the power line project meant to light up towns and villages in Kerala.

Terming the alternative routes proposed by the locals as technically and financially unfeasible, the three-member expert committee has given its go-ahead to the high power transmission line between Mysore and Kozhikode. Activists of the ‘Save Cauvery’ movement in Kodagu say the decision will ring the death knell for more than 50,000 trees.

While the Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCI) continued to maintain only 2,247 trees will be cut, deputy conservator of forests, Virajpet, has submitted an affidavit before the Green Tribunal in Chennai that a total of 21,000 trees will be felled along the alignment line proposed by PGCI. However, activists who have trekked the entire stretch using GPS coordinates argue that not less than 55,000 trees, both in private areas and on forest land, will face the axe.

Following widespread protests across Kodagu district over the large-scale clearance of forest and degradation to the fragile eco-system of the area, the state government had appointed a three-member expert committee to look into the issue and study the feasibility of possible alternative routes as proposed by the activists. The committee comprising noted elephant expert Prof Raman Sukumar of Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and Ajai Misra, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF) was headed by R S Shivakumara Aradhya of Central Power Research Institute (CPRI).

‘Other routes not feasible’

NGOs and activists had proposed alternative routes that would be less damaging to the eco-system, but the committee has stated in its report that these routes are not only detrimental to wildlife conservation, but require huge capital and are technically not feasible. According to the report, accessed by Bangalore Mirror, adopting other routes would require more forests to be cleared than what the present proposal will necessitate. Activists had suggested use of the D-line (District line dividing the two districts of Mysore and Wayanad in Kerala) passing via Nagarhole or the existing 220 KV line on the Kadakola-Kaniyampetta corridor for linking Karnataka with Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the South, besides upgrading the 110 KV corridor between Kasaragod and Mangalore.

“Alternative routes will destroy the Kodagu environment as a large number of trees will have to be cut, adversely affecting the Dubare-Devamachi reserve forest which has considerable presence of elephants and tigers. Using these routes will not only affect the tribal settlement inside forests, but also call for felling of trees in coffee estates which are part of Kodagu ‘s ecosystem. The paddy fields along the proposed line would become unfit for cultivation. The temperature of line conductors will affect coffee plants and affect the national forest policy, which envisages about 33 per cent forest and tree cover. Work in these areas would not only reduce inflow to Kaveri and its tributary Lakshmana Theertha, but also intensify the man-animal conflict,” the report said.

‘Existing lines are over-exploited’

On the prospects of using the existing corridors, the committee observed: “While the corridors are designed to carry a load of 130 MW to 140 MW, they have been used to transmit 180-200 MW of power regularly. Due to overloading, there already has been high sagging of conductors. Further, the ground clearance is low and there have been instances of elephants being subjected to fatal shocks. The Dasara elephant ‘Drona’ too had been a victim of this in the past. The existing 220 KV line runs North East-South West of Kabini for about 32 km of which 20 km is through Nagarhole forest; upgrading the line would only further disturb the ecology.”

‘Tunnelling will hit coffee estates’

Studying the feasibility of laying underground cables, the committee reported it would cost five to 20 times more than the cost of overhead transmission lines. “If the cable is laid, the ground above has to be cleared of vegetation and must be provided with access roads for maintenance. The cable has to be cooled by forced air or by way of circulating water. Further, the repair time is 25 times greater than that of overhead line repair,” the report states.

The experts clarified that laying a double circuit line along the D-line will require 130 hectares of dense tropical forest to be cleared. Besides, reactive power absorption devices have to be installed every eight to 10 km along the cable route; these sub-station-size structures requiring about 2,500 sq metres, the experts said.

‘Project crucial for Karnataka too’

Even though the line between Mysore and Kozhikode was planned under Kaiga Stage II for transferring the generated power from Kaiga to other places way back in 2007, work could not be taken up for several administrative and technical reasons. “Besides this project, there is absolutely no grid connectivity between Kerala and Karnataka. The proposed line, besides helping Kerala, will help us draw power from Koodankulam and other new stations planned along the Tamil Nadu coast. This Southern grid connectivity will help Karnataka harness more than 3,500 MW wind power generated in Tamil Nadu,” said a senior official from the energy department.

Referring to illegal clearance of forests in excess of what was permitted, the committee said, “The line route, proposed by the Power Grid Corporation, requires about 6,000 trees to be cut within a 12-km stretch of coffee plantations in Kodagu, in addition to the 2,247 trees (above 55 cm girth) already felled in that stretch.” Acknowledging clearance of forest for about 52 metres as against the permitted 46 metres along a four-km stretch, the experts suggested efforts to regenerate the natural vegetation in the stretch of land between the 46-52 metre width in Dubare and Devmachi reserved forests.” The committee has also directed the forest department to implement a conflict mitigation plan for preventing man-animal conflict in the area which will completely be funded by PGCI for a minimum of three years after completion of the project.

Reacting over the recommendations of the committee, power minister DK Shivakumar told BM, “The committee has given us a green signal to go ahead with the project. The activists, farmers have to understand this and must support the government by giving all the necessary help. There is tremendous pressure from the Centre to accomplish the project and it is more important from the energy security of the state in future. It helps us draw more and more power in a short duration time from the generating stations of Tamil Nadu. We are just waiting for the rains to stop and once the rains are officially ended, we will take up the work along the proposed corridor.”

source: http://www.bangaloremirror.com / Bangalore Mirror / Home> Bangalore> Cover Story / by Niranjan Kaggere, Bangalore Mirror Bureau / September 29th, 2014