Bengaluru, Oct. 22 -- Karnataka chief minister D K Shivakumar has urged the Centre to expedite wildlife clearance for the proposed Mekedatu drinking water project, clarifying that the state is currently seeking permission only to drill 20 boreholes for geotechnical investigations and not to divert protected forest land.

Shivakumar made the request during a meeting with Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav in New Delhi on Thursday, asking him to have the National Board for Wildlife's standing committee consider the proposal and make an early recommendation.

"The proposal is only related to survey and investigation activities and does not currently seek diversion of any protected area land for the project," Shivakumar said in his re...