Kalasa-Banduri Nala Project

Kalasa-Banduri Nala Project

The cost of the Kalasa-Banduri Nala project on the Mahadayi basin has risen from about ₹94 crores (2000) to ₹1,677.30 crores (2020) due to the ongoing inter-State river water dispute.

Mahadayi River

• Mahadayi or Mhadei, the west-flowing river, originates in Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary (Western Ghats), Belagavi district of Karnataka.
• It is essentially a rain-fed river also called Mandovi in Goa.
• It is joined by several streams to form the Mandovi which is one of two major rivers (the other one is Zuari river) that flows through Goa.
• The river travels 35 km in Karnataka; 82 km in Goa before joining the Arabian Sea.

Kalasa-Banduri Nala 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.

Source: The Hindu