Mahadayi Agitation: All you need to know about the crisis

The Mahadayi River is the main river-based water source for Goa. In Goa, the river is named as 'Mandovi'. The river originates in the Sahyadri mountain range in Khanapur Taluk, Belagavi district, Karnataka and flows towards Goa, to eventually enter the Arabian Sea. 

 

The river flows for 35 kms within Karnataka before it enters Goa. 

 

Many tributary rivers of Karnataka - Kalasa, Banduri, Halataar, Chorla, Potla, Korla, Gurki etc., join the Mahadayi river. 

The 

Kalasa-Banduri project was intended to divert 7.56 TMC water of Kalasa and Banduri, the two main tributaries of the Mahadayi river, to the Malaprabha river and thus provide a permanent solution for the perenial water crisis in 13 taluks of four north Karnataka districts.

 

The Kalasa-Banduri project began when farmers of drought-hit areas of Navalgunda and Nargunda staged a protest against the government to redress their water problems. 

 

R Gundu Rao, the then CM of Karnataka (1980 -83), formed the 'Bommai Committee' to solve this problem. The committee recommended that the government join Mahadayi river to the Malaprabha river. Thus the government decided to build dams to the tributaries of Mahadayi river. 

 

However, Goa opposed the project.

 

When SR Bommaai himself became the CM in 1989, he spoke to the then CM of Goa  - Prathap Singh Rana, and took his consent to build the dams. Over the years, the project got approvals from the forest department as well as from the central government. 

 

But the project was not implemented since the Bommai-led government was dissolved in eight months.

 

During SM Krishna's period, the government once again tried to implement the project. HK Patil, the then minister for irrigation, renamed it as the 'Kalasa-Banduri Project'. Even the Vajpayee government in the centre gave its approval for the project. 

 

But once again, Goa appealed to the central government to stop the project. At that time, Manohar Parikkar was the CM of Goa. 

 

In 2006, the then Karnataka CM, HD Kumara Swamy, also tried to revive the project. But the Goa government, this time, approached the Supreme Court.  

 

Goa’s main objection is that the Kalasa-Banduri project may create an ecological imbalance in their state. Besides, Mahadayi is the main river-based water source for Goa.

 

In 2009, the Supreme Court ordered the creation of a tribunal to address the crisis. After the formation of the tribunal, Goa made a formal appeal to stop the 'Kalasa-Banduri Project', but tribunal did not accede to that request. Goa submitted another appeal, this time requesting the project be put on hold until the final verdict. 

 

Considering the second appeal, the tribunal, in 2014, issued an interim order to halt the project until the final order was announced. The final order was expected in December 2015. But so far the tribunal has not given its decree.
 

Why Karnataka lost its latest appeal: 

 

Earlier, the Karnataka government had given in writing to the tribunal saying that it will start the work only after the permission from the Environment Department. But it did not keep its promise and started the work of the project.

 
The advocates of the government failed to convince the tribunal that 7 TMC water is being wasted in the sea.

 
The advocates failed to assert that there is sufficient water in three notified places from where the government intends to get water.

 
Finally, the Tribunal instructed the advocates of Karnataka to study the Potamology (the physical science of rivers) before claiming that the Mahadayi's waters are being wasted in the ocean.