Goemkarponn Desk
PANAJI: The Goa Government-appointed 14-member study group reveals that Karnataka neglected to carry out new planning and preparation of an all-encompassing Master plan for diversion of Mhadei river water by identifying priorities, as directed by the Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal (MWDT), in its modified Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for the Kalasa-Bhandura Nala diversion schemes.
Karnataka’s two DPRs were approved by the Central Water Commission (CWC) in January 2023. The State government then formed a study group headed by the WRD Chief Engineer to examine the DPRs. The group turned in its report in November of the previous year.
In its report, the study group observed that the project for the augmentation of the State of Karnataka had only prepared a diversion scheme for Mhadei water, rather than undertaking new planning and scheme development by creating a comprehensive Master plan for the diversion of water from the source to storage, i.e., Malaprabha dam, by identifying priorities and justification.
According to the study group, MWDT permitted Karnataka to divert 2.18 TMC of Mhadei water at the proposed Bhandura dam and 1.72 TMC of water at the proposed Kalasa dam outside of the basin in its award. On the other hand, there is a requirement that Karnataka plan and develop new schemes for either diversion of water outside the basin or for consumptive uses within it.
The Study group observed that “no effort whatsoever were made by the CWC, to insist and examine the Master Plan, as mandated in the “Guidelines for Assessment of Water Availability for Non-Irrigation Uses 2012,” while appraising the DPR, despite clear directives from the Tribunal.”
It went on, “Without the Master Plan, it is unclear how and to what extent the State of Karnataka will use the water that is permitted to be diverted after it is kept in the Malaprabha Reservoir.
In order to increase the Multi-purpose Malaprabha Reservoir’s capacity for drinking water purposes, the proposal to divert water from Mhadei tributaries is legally naughty, factually false, and without merit.
To support the diversion, KA has not carried out the need-based allocation of the Malaprabha reservoir’s current dam water for drinking, irrigation, industries, etc. There has been a flagrant breach of pertinent sections of the National Water Policy of 2012.
The Malaprabha dam has 27 TMC of water storage, compared to the 7.56 TMC estimated water requirement for the Hubli and Dharwad towns. This means that the amount of water available is more than three times the amount needed for drinking water in the towns and surrounding villages.
Evaluating Karnataka state’s DPRs for non-irrigation purposes completely violates relevant MWDT observations.
