Central Water Commission has approved much awaited Kalasa Banduri water project. The commission has approved the DPR (Detailed Project Report) submitted by Karnataka.
Union Minister and Dharwad MP Pralhad Joshi informed the same through a video message earlier today.
Kalasa Banduri Naala project is undertaken by the Karnataka government to improve the Drinking water supply to the districts of Dharwad, Gadag, Bagalkot, and Belagavi.
It involves connecting Kalasa and Banduri canals, the two tributaries of the Mahadayi river to divert 7.56 TMC of water to supply the drinking water needs of 4 districts of North Karnataka.
Karnataka has received the green signal to divert 2.18 tmc (61.8 Mcum) of Mahadayi river at proposed Banduri Dam, and 1.72 tmc (48.7 Mcum) of the water at the proposed Kalasa Dam.
The tribunal for the implementation of the project was constituted on 16th November 2010. The tribunal was formed to adjudicate the dispute between 3 states i.e Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Goa.
The total catchment of the Mahadayi basin is 2,032 sq. km of which the catchment area of the river in Goa is 1580 sq. km. And it is 375 sq. km and 77 sq. km in Karnataka and Maharashtra respectively.
The project had got the clearance in 2002, but the Goa government headed by Manohar Parrikar had raised objections claiming that the project would harm Goa‘s Flora and Fauna.
Pralhad Joshi has thanked the Irrigation minister of Karnataka Govind Karjol and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai as well as the former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa.