Goa chief wildlife warden issues stop-work notice to Karnataka on Kalasa-Banduri dam project

The Centre recently approved the detailed project report (DPR) submitted by Karnataka for the construction of the two dams.

Taking to Twitter, the chief minister said that the chief wild warden of Goa on Monday issued a stop-work notice to the Karnataka government.

The Chief Wild Warden Goa today has issued a stop work notice to the Karnataka Govt which is another step in the right direction. 2/2

— Dr. Pramod Sawant (Modi Ka Parivar) (@DrPramodPSawant) January 10, 2023

The Goa government has contended that Karnataka cannot divert water from the Mahadayi river, as it passes through Mahadayi Wildlife Sanctuary, which is located downstream in North Goa.

“Had a very productive meeting with members of Mhadei Bachao Abhiyan (MBA) in Panaji. Explained to them in detail about the efforts taken by the government on all fronts to safeguard Goa’s interests regarding Mhadei. I thank the MBA team for their valuable inputs,” Sawant tweeted.

MBA president Nirmala Sawant and environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar were also present for the meeting.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, advocate general Devidas Pangam said that the Goa government will file an application before the Supreme Court challenging the clearance given to the Karnataka government’s DPR.

The application will be filed as part of the ongoing case before the apex court in which Goa,

Karnataka and Maharashtra challenged the inter-state water dispute tribunal in 2019 over sharing water of the Mahadayi river.

The issue

The Kalasa-Banduri Nala drinking water project was one of the major promises the BJP had made during the campaign for the 2018 Assembly election.

The project will benefit 13 talukas in Belagavi, Dharwad, Gadag and Bagalkot districts of North Karnataka.

Assuring that the project’s work would resume at the earliest, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai told reporters, “The CWC has approved the DPR submitted by the Karnataka government in November 2022. As soon as we receive the final nod for the DPR, we will invite tender and kickstart the works related to this much-awaited drinking water project.

Environmentalists and political parties including Congress and AAP criticised the decision claiming that the project will destroy Goa’s lifeline.

According to the Goa chief minister, a delegation from Goa is set to meet the Prime Minister to oppose approval given to Karnataka for DPRs of Mahadayi dams.

(With inputs from PTI)