Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to expedite long-pending clearances for several key water projects, placing special emphasis on the Kalasa–Banduri Nala projects under the Mahadayi basin. In a detailed letter sent on Monday, the Chief Minister noted that although the Central Water Commission and the Ministry of Jal Shakti had cleared the Kalasa–Banduri proposals in December 2022, the projects remain stuck as the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is yet to grant the crucial Forest and Wildlife clearances. Siddaramaiah said the prolonged delay is severely impacting the drinking water needs of the Hubballi–Dharwad region and urged the Prime Minister to intervene so work can finally commence on the long-awaited scheme.
The Chief Minister also highlighted other major water projects awaiting action from the Union Government, including the Mekedatu balancing reservoir—where the Supreme Court recently dismissed Tamil Nadu’s objections and left appraisal to CWMA and CWC—the Krishna water allocation, which has been pending notification for more than a decade after the KWDT-II award, and the Upper Bhadra Project, for which ₹5,300 crore of central assistance announced in 2023–24 has still not been released. Siddaramaiah said the timely clearance of these projects is vital for improving irrigation coverage, ensuring drinking water security, and supporting farmers in drought-prone regions of Karnataka.
