K'taka told to seek fresh green nod for Mahadayi project

The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has asked the Karnataka government to submit a fresh proposal seeking forest clearance for the Mahadayi drinking water project.

The Deputy Inspector General of Forests, MoEF, in his letter to the additional chief secretary to Water Resources department, Karnataka, has asked to submit a fresh proposal on the project in “Parivesh” portal of the Ministry for getting the
green nod.

Two decades back, Karnataka had submitted a detailed proposal to MoEF seeking its approval for the project. The same was returned to the state in 2003 owing to the dispute between Karnataka and upper riparian state Goa. The Karnataka government can now send a fresh proposal on the Mahadayi project, the Ministry stated in its communication to Karnataka.

Karnataka had, earlier, sought MoEF permission to divert 501 hectares of forest land for Mahadayi project - 258 hectares of forest land to build Kalasa nala dam near Kanakumbi village and 243 hectares of forest to build Bandura nala dam near Nerse village in Belagavi district.

The Mahadayi project involved building dams across Kalasa and Banduri, two tributaries of the Mahadayi river in Belagavi district and divert water to the Malaprabha river. The project proposes to supply drinking water to Belagavi, Hubballi-Dharwad and surrounding areas.