The Centre on Monday said neither Karnataka nor Maharashtra had diverted water from the Mahadayi river basin so far.
Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti Bishweswar Tedu told the Rajya Sabha that as per the final award of the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT), Karnataka is permitted to divert 2.18 tmc ft of Mahadayi water at the proposed Banduri dam and 1.72 tmc ft at the proposed Kalasa dam, subject to fulfilling certain directions.
The minister was replying to Trinamool Congress member from Goa Luizinho Joaquim Faleiro's question on the actual quantities of water diverted from the Mahadayi basin by Karnataka and Maharashtra.
The Union Cabinet accorded approval for the constitution of the Authority namely 'Mahadayi PRAWAH,' under the provisions of section 6A of the Inter State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, for securing compliance and implementation of the MWDT award.
"The detailed project report (DPRs) of Kalasa nala diversion scheme (lift irrigation scheme) & Banduri nala diversion scheme (lift irrigation scheme) of Karnataka have been found technically acceptable by the Central Water Commission from the hydrology and inter-state aspects only, subject to strict compliance of certain conditions," the minister said.
To a question on the impact on wildlife in Western Ghats due to diversion of water, the minister said the utilization permitted by MWDT for all three basin states - Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra - is after taking into consideration the environmental flow in accordance with the "standard terms of reference for environmental impact assessment (EIA) or environmental management plan report for projects or activities requiring environmental clearance under EIA notification 2006," of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change published in April 2015.
Published 13 March 2023, 16:17 IST