View source for Mahadayi/ Mhadei Water Dispute

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[https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/karnataka-election-2018/story/mahadayi-river-dispute-between-karnataka-goa-explained-1228105-2018-05-07   May 7, 2018: ''The Times of India'']


'''HIGHLIGHTS'''

The Mahadayi river rises in the Western Ghats from Karnataka's Belagavi district

Mahadayi is Goa's one of the few sweet-water sources

The dispute over Mahadayi river began in the 1980s.


'''Mahadayi river dispute between Karnataka, Goa explained'''
 
Karnataka and Goa are locked in a battle for the last three decades over sharing of water from Mahadayi river which flows in both the states. The issue has intensified in the backdrop of the forthcoming Assembly election in Karnataka.

The Mahadayi river, stretching 111 km, rises in the Western Ghats from Karnataka's Belagavi district. It flows westward to enter Goa. The river is joined by a number of streams to form the Mahadayi which is one of two major rivers that flow through Goa. Mahadayi finally flows into the Arabian Sea at Panaji.

A major portion of the river's stretch lies in Goa. The Mahadayi holds a special significance for Goa because it is one of the few sweet-water sources in the state.

The dispute over Mahadayi river began in the 1980s. The immediate reason was Karnataka's decision to build a number of dams, canals and barrages to route the Mahadayi river water to the Malaprabha basin in order to meet the requirements of water-scarce districts of Bagalkot, Gadag, Dharwad and Belagavi.
Goa objected to Karnataka's decision and moved the Supreme Court in 2006. It succeeded in getting the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal set up on November 16, 2010.

Goa argues that its population is dependent on the river's natural path and any move to divert it would affect its fragile ecosystem.

Karnataka counters by saying the surplus from Mahadayi drains into the sea and, therefore, it should be better utilised by diverting it into the deficit basin in Malaprabha to meet the state's various needs.

The poll-bound also claims that it requires 7.56 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of water from Mahadayi to meet the requirement of farmers of North Karnataka. More importantly, it needs the water for the Kalasa-Banduri Nala project. This will help in augmenting the drinking water supply to Hubballi-Dharwad and districts of Belagavi and Gadag.

The Supreme Court stayed the construction of dams and canals by Karnataka on the Mahadayi.

In 2002, the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre had then cleared the project. However, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar opposed it.

The project was stalled by the NDA government following objections from Parrikar.

Politics over Mahadayi has heated up in view of the forthcoming election in Karnataka. Parrikar, who is still the Goa chief minister, is opposed to the project. However, he seems to have diluted his stand a bit.

In December 2017, BJP's Karnataka chief and chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa and other leaders met Parrikar in the presence of party chief Amit Shah in Delhi over the issue.

Parrikar wrote to Yeddyurappa, stating that Goa will not oppose giving water to Karnataka for its drinking needs.

But Karnataka farmers have been demanding water be released from the Mahadayi to solve their irrigation needs besides solving drinking water problem.

In February, when Congress president Rahul Gandhi was touring Bagalkote, Belagavi and Dharwad, farmers in large numbers launched a hunger strike demanding release of water.

BJP national president Amit Shah while touring the districts in North Karnataka on Monday assured the people in Kalaburagi that the party would solve the Mahadayi dispute once it comes to power in the state.

He also said that it was difficult to solve the issue when different parties were ruling in Karnataka and Goa.