Forest First: Cheetah Project NOC Key to Kuno Dam Approval

The Union Environment Ministry has put on hold Madhya Pradesh's proposal to divert over 740 hectares of reserve forest land in Sheopur district for a dam and micro-irrigation project. The proposed site falls within the Kuno National Park landscape, where cheetahs have been reintroduced from Africa since September 2022.

The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) has stipulated that clearance can only be considered after obtaining a no-objection certificate from Project Cheetah, under the National Tiger Conservation Authority. The proposed irrigation project, planned on the seasonal Aheli river, seeks to alleviate chronic water scarcity for around 40,000 residents in 34 villages and boost agricultural productivity in the drought-prone region.

However, the project would involve the felling of over 20,000 trees and the submergence of nearly 700 hectares of forest. The FAC has requested a comprehensive environmental impact assessment, including an analysis of the river’s seasonal flow and potential downstream impacts. It also recommended identifying larger areas for compensatory afforestation. The state government has committed to reusing excavated material to minimize issues related to muck disposal.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.