Karnataka hails NGT order closing proceedings against Mekedatu project
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Friday welcomed the National Green Tribunal's decision to close on its own, proceedings based on a media report against the ambitious Mekedatu project and said the project would be started soon.
The tribunal had taken cognisance of a media report which stated that there will be adverse impact on forests and sanctuaries if the Mekedatu project, aimed at supplying drinking water in Bengaluru and surrounding areas, is permitted.
The report further said that there was no requisite clearance under EIA Notification, 2006.
While closing the proceedings on Thursday, the five- member panel of the Principal Bench of the NGT, led by chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, found merit in the submission of Karnataka Advocate General Prabhuling Navadgi that the media report did not mention that the issue of statutory environmental clearances is already pending consideration before the statutory authorities concerned.
It noted that even the very same media report has been mentioned by the Tamil Nadu Government in its submission before the Ministry of Jal Shakti in its April 27 2021 letter, even before it was taken cognisance of by the Tribunal.
Further, the same issue has also been raised by Tamil Nadu before the Supreme Court.
"Thus, there is no need for this Tribunal to continue the suo moto proceedings," the bench noted.
"The Mekedatu project, which is significant for the state of Karnataka, is aimed at drinking water supply. The NGT, which was hearing a petition seeking a stay on the project, dismissed it and endorsed Karnataka's argument.
The project will be started as soon as possible after getting all the clearances," Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa tweeted.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan called the NGT verdict a shot in the arm.
"A major development in the Mekedatu project for Karnataka! I welcome the decision of the NGT," Ashwath Narayan tweeted.
According to him, implementation of this project will help provide drinking water to the people of Bengaluru and surrounding areas.
Earlier, former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy had alleged in a series of tweets that the Karnataka government had failed to protect the interest of the people of the state by not pursuing the Mekedatu project as the ruling BJP was held up with resolving the alleged bickering in the party.
In reply, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai dismissed the charge, saying that the BJP led state government will not give a second thought when it comes to protecting the interest of the state.
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Bihar has 41,000 centenarian voters, 143 are above 120 years
Patna(PTI): Bihar has a total of 7,80,22,933 electorate of which 41,000 are registered centenarian voters with more than 140 of them being over 120 years of age, according to the latest Election Commission data.
The total number of voters aged below 30 years is around 21 per cent while those over 80 years of age is about 2.06 per cent.
The data, shared by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Bihar, here on Thursday shows, the state has 16,07,527 electorates who are in the age group from 80 years to 120 years and above.
While the total number of voters who are above 100 years in the state is 40,601 (male-17,445, female-23,153 and third gender-three), voters who are above 110 years are 247 (male-120 and female-127). The total number of voters above 120 years in the state is 143, according to the data.
The number of voters who are above 80 years is 1,28,2296 (male- 61,4673, female- 66,7614 and third gender-9), number of electorates who are above 90 years is 28,42,40 (male- 11,8213, female- 16,024 and third gender is three).
The total number of registered voters in the state has increased to 7,80,22,933 from 7,72,28,467.
The district where the maximum number of 80 years and above voters are registered is Vaishali with 3.05 per cent (82,758) of the total electorates, followed by Nalanda with 2.82 per cent (67,161), Lakhisarai with 2.71 per cent (21,118), Madhubani with 2.66 per cent (92,824), Patna with 2.60 per cent (13,514), Sitamarhi with 2.59 per cent (69,558), Banka with 2.52 per cent (39,436), Nawada with 2.31 per cent (43,511), Kaimur with 2.22 per cent (27,711) and Sheohar with 2.04 per cent (6,760).
With 38,174 voters (1.36 per cent of the total votes in the district), West Champaran has the lowest number of registered electors who are above 80, followed by Madhpura with 1.39 per cent (19,672), Saharsa with 1.44 per cent (20,840), Katihar with 1.49 per cent (33,321), East Champaran with 1.53 per cent (57,152), Muzaffarpur and Gopalganj with 1.70 per cent each (61,463 and 35,724 respectively) and Purnea with 1.73 per cent (40,189), according to the data of the ECI.
