Centre approves revised Kalasa project
Recently, the Central Water Commission (CWC) has approved the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the implementation of the decades-old Kalsa-Banduri drinking water project in the interstate Mahadayi river basin.
- Its implementation now depends on environmental clearance and other mandatory clearances including the final decision of the Supreme Court.
- This clearance of hydrology and inter-state aspects, as per the guidelines of the Central Water Commission, is subject to the decision of the Supreme Court on the special leave petitions of the coastal states – Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa.
- According to Karnataka, 1.72 TMC water will be diverted from Kalasa stream and 2.18 TMC water will be diverted from Banduri stream.
- Both the streams are tributaries of the Mahadayi River. This will solve the problem of drinking water in Karnataka. However, Maharashtra and Goa are opposing the project.
Mahadayi River –
- The 77 km long Mahadayi River, called the Mandovi River in Goa, originates at Bhimgarh in Belgaum district (Karnataka) in the Western Ghats.
- This river flows 29 km in Karnataka and 52 km in Goa. Although the main river does not touch Maharashtra, its catchment area also includes some areas of Maharashtra. So he is also a part of this controversy.
- This river joins the Arabian Sea.
- Karnataka wants to divert its water by building two dams on two branches of this river, Banduri river and Kalsa river, which Goa has been opposing.
Source – The Hindu
