Power Punch: Contemporary issue of MAHADAYI- KALASA BANDURI project by Amruta Kulkarni, III Sem

The years pass by and we don’t even realize whats going on in our surroundings. The Mahadayi Kalasa Banduri Nala project dispute is going on from past 4 decades and it has taken a very aggressive path from last 76 days. Mr. Vikas Soppin who is supporting leader of farmers in this dispute has enlightened us with the actual status of the project on 1^st Oct, 2015 in KLTU SMSR. Mr. Vikas has completed his BE, MBA and joined in with farmers struggle to resolve this ongoing dispute. Since he is equipped with techno-managerial skills, the situational leader dsicovered this side of his personality and has become quite a force to be recokned with. He explained the project details through a technical lens and summarised the  dispute in four parts namely: the detailed project, benefits, problems & solution to resolve this dispute.

 Karnataka- Goa- Maharastra are the main states involved in this water dispute. The Mahadayi river originates in Karnataka and flows towards Goa, partially in Maharashtra state and finally meets Arabian Sea. It has its upper riparian area in Karnataka & lower riparian area in Madovi which meet the drinking water needs of the town in north-western districts. The Karnataka farmers wanted this Mahadayi river should divert to Malaprabha river in the monsoon season so that the Navildhar dam capacity will increase from 11 TMC to 37.7 TMC, so that 5.28 lack acres of land will receive sufficient water for irrigation. Belgaum, Dharwad, Gadag, Bagalkot districts & surrounding villages will get benefited from this diversion.  This diversion of Mahadayi to Malaprabha has become the biggest problem from last three decades. To address this water dispute a committee was formed in 1980 under the leadership of Mr. S. R Bommai & a settlment was reached with Goa Government. Goa was supposed to take electricity (Two power plants to be located on Karnataka- Goa border) and Karnataka would be allowed to divert water from Mahadayi river.  But this settlement could not hold due to change in the respective state governments.

In 2002, they come up with another project i. e Kalasa- Banduri nala project. To stop this project the Goa Govt. approached Supreme Court. The Supreme Court didn’t interfere because it was interstate water dispute and in 2010 a tribunal was setup to resolve this dispute but the tribunal is yet to give out its verdict. Mr. Soppin said the tribunal is going to give the verdict in Aug 2016. But according to me, it is a developmental project because;

 

" If project becomes successful then 5.28 lack acres of land get irrigated--> Opportunity to farmers – multi cultivation --> Contribution to GDP --> Economic growth of the Country"

                                                                                                                                    This lecture allowed me to gain an insight into the project and the disputed issue for which farmers are struggling from many days. It was observed that, every year more than 200 TMC ft of water is being drained into Arabian sea from Mahadayi river, & Karnataka Govt. has been trying their best to convince Goa for the diversion of 7.55 TMC ft of water from the river by asuuring them that this diversion will not affect their ecosystem in any way. But the dispute has not been resolved even though little Govt. intervention can solve this issue permanently. Hope to see this dispute reaching its conclusion soon.