Centre approves Kalasa-Banduri project in poll-bound Karnataka

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday announced in the Assembly that the union government has approved Karnataka’s detailed project report (DPR) on the Kalasa-Banduri (Mahadayi) project, which was opposed by Goa.

“This is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s gift to North Karnataka. And, this sweet news has come during the legislature session happening in Belagavi,” Bommai said in the Assembly. “The Kalasa-Banduri project is a long-pending project in North Karnataka for which agitations were on for the last 3-4 decades,” he added.

Implementation of the Kalasa-Banduri project was a key poll promise the BJP had made during the 2018 Assembly election.

Karnataka wants to use the Mahadayi river water from its tributaries Kalasa and Banduri to the drought-hit districts of north Karnataka. The government will use 3.9 tmc water - 2.18 tmc from Banduri and 1.72 tmc from Kalasa river canals - for drinking water purposes.

“After Goa interjected, it became an inter-state dispute. A Tribunal was formed in 2010 and its verdict came out in 2018. While we didn’t get the full quantum of water, the Tribunal gave us permission to divert the waters,” Bommai said.

“We submitted a pre-feasibility report and then the DPR. After several queries and clarifications, the Modi administration has accepted our DPR. Now, our dream is going to be realised,” Bommai said. “More importantly, the union government has said that our DPR is acceptable from hydrology and inter-state aspects,” he underlined.

Union Minister Prahlad Joshi, who represents Dharwad, said the Central Water Commission had approved the “much-awaited” DPR for the Kalasa-Banduri project. He thanked PM Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.