Reference:
The Govt of India recently approved Karnataka’s Kalasa-Banduri drinking water project which is facing opposition from Goa and Maharashtra.
About Kalasa – Banduri Project:
- It is undertaken by the Government of Karnataka to improve drinking water supply to the three districts of Belagavi, Dharwad, and Gadag.
- It involves building across Kalasa and Banduri, two tributaries of the Mahadayi river to divert water to the Malaprabha river (a tributary of Krishna river).
- Malaprabha river supplies the drinking water to Dharwad, Belgaum, and Gadag districts.
- Kalasa-Banduri project was planned in 1989; Goa raised an objection to it.
- The Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal was set up in 2010. Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra are parties to the tribunal.
Mahadayi River:
- The Mahadayi river rises in Karnataka (Western Ghats) from the Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary in Khanapur taluk of Karnataka’s Belagavi district.
- Flowing westward, it enters the north Goa districts.
- Several streams join the flow of the river to form the Mandovi which is one of two major rivers that flow through Goa.
- It joins the Arabian Sea at Panaji.
- Distribution: Of the total area, 375 sq km lies in Karnataka, 77 sq km in Maharashtra and remaining 1580 sq km is in Goa.
Source: The Hindu
