Bengaluru: Several Kannada organisations have called for Karnataka Bandh over Mahadayi River Water dispute on Thursday. They claim that it is a protest against the visit of BJP national president Amit Shah to participate in a BJP public meeting in Mysore. The organisations are angry with the Centre’s alleged disinterest resolving the dispute with neighbouring state of Goa. They have called a separate Bengaluru Bandh on February 4 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits the city.
What is Mahadayi dispute. Here’s an explainer.
- Mahadayi river is known as Mandovi river in Goa. The state capital Panaji is on the banks of Mandovi river. It is one of the smallest rivers in India.
- This rain-fed river originates at Bhimghad in Belgaum district of Karnataka. It flows first 35km through Karnataka and remaining 52km through Goa before joining Arabian Sea. Bordering areas of Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra depend on Mahadayi for their water needs.
- Renowned water expert the late SG Balekundri first planned Mahadayi water diversion in 1970. The plan was to feed Malaprabha river and store the water in Navilatirtha dam in Karnataka's Dharwad district. This dam, built in the 1970s, has not been filled to its capacity, except three or four times.
- Karnataka wants a meagre 7.56 TMC feet of water from Mahadayi for its drinking water needs in Mumbai-Karnataka region. It wants to build barrages across Kalasa and Banduri two tributaries of Mahadayi. It can supply water to 180 villages and Hubli-Dharwad twin cities.
- When S M Krishna was the Chief Minister of Karnataka he started the work in 2002. The BJP government in Goa led by CM Manohar Parrikar had objected to it.
- The Goa government approached the SC demanding cancellation of the project citing ecological reasons.
- After all attempts to hammer out a negotiation failed, the UPA-2 Government constituted Mahadayi Water Disputes Redressal Tribunal in 2010.After the tribunal in its interim order rejected Karnataka’s plea for diverting 7.56 TMC Feet of water, there were violent protests across Mumbai-Karnataka region.
- Goa government claims that if Karnataka is allowed to divert the water over 700 hectares of forest will be submerged and 60,000 trees will be cut. Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah is blaming PM Modi for not showing any interest in resolving the issue.
- After the recent protests by local farmers, the BJP Karnataka president B S Yeddyurappa rushed to New Delhi seeking an immediate solution. Amit Shah had convened a meeting of Parrikar and Yeddyurappa. But nothing came out of it as Goa BJP government’s alliance partner Goa Forward Party is opposing negotiations with Karnataka.
- Mumbai-Karnataka which is demanding Mahadayi water is BJP’s stronghold and Lingayats are in large number in this region.
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