Centre notifies Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal final award

In a relief to Karnataka, the Centre on Thursday notified the Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal final award.

With this, Karnataka's longstanding demand is fulfilled and the state government can implement Mahadayi project to provide drinking water to parched Hubballi-Dharwad and Belgaum region.

As per the Inter-State Water Dispute Act, the Jal Shakthi Ministry issued a notification with the subject to outcome of the final verdict of the Supreme Court on the water sharing dispute between Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra.

Last week Supreme Court has allowed the Jal Shakthi Ministry to notify the final award subject to outcome of final verdict. Goa had earlier filed a petition in the Supreme Court objecting to the Tribunal award saying if it implemented Mandovi river, lifeline of Goa, will dry up and will also hit ecologically sensitive Western Ghats.

The Supreme Court pending the hearing of Goa's objection, allowed the Ministry to notify the verdict. The Apex Court will hear the matter in detail in July.

Karnataka has been demanding the early notification to utilise its share of 13.46 tmc feet of water (of which 5.4 tmc ft is for consumptive) to provide drinking water to parched Hubballi-Dharwad and Belgaum region. However Goa has been objecting to the project.

The tribunal in its final award in Auguest 2018 allocated 13.45 tmc feet of water (including 5.40 tmcft for consumptive) to Karnataka, 24 tmc ft to Goa and 1.33 tmc ft to Maharashtra.

As per proposal before Karnataka, it plans to build two mini dams at Kalasa and Bhandura in Mahadayu basin Belgaum district and divert the water to Malaprabha reservoir and utilise it to provide drinking water.