A delegation from the Union Ministry of Forests, Environment and Climate Change (MoEF) is expected to visit the proposed Mahadayi project sites in Belagavi district and the nearby Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary in the coming days.
Sources indicated that the team may comprise forest officials, hydrologists, and engineers. Local authorities have begun preparations, including compiling key documents such as the Banduri Nala Project’s detailed report and land acquisition notices issued to farmers.
The anticipated visit has sparked contrasting reactions. While farmers and Kannada organisations in North Karnataka have welcomed the move, environmental activists in both Karnataka and Goa have voiced strong opposition.
Vijay Kulkarni, chairman of the Kalasa-Banduri Nala agitation committee, expressed satisfaction over the development, interpreting it as a sign of the Union government’s support for Karnataka’s plan to use Mahadayi water for North Karnataka.
The Mahadayi water diversion initiative aims to address water scarcity in drought-affected areas of northern Karnataka. It involves transferring water from the westward Kalasa, Banduri, and Haltara streams—tributaries of the Mahadayi—to the eastward Malaprabha.
Although the Union government has approved the State’s detailed project reports, final clearances from the Central Wildlife Board and the MoEF are still pending. Karnataka maintains that the project’s focus on drinking water exempts it from environmental impact assessments and public consultations. Goa, however, contends that the project is for irrigation and poses a serious threat to the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats and Goa’s water security.
The Central team’s inspection is seen as a key step in assessing environmental compliance before advancing the project.
Farmer groups and Kannada outfits in Belagavi are hopeful that the visit will speed up progress. “It’s a hopeful sign for solving the region’s water problems,” said Uday Desai of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha. Kannada activists have also urged the visiting team to fast-track clearances, citing the project’s relevance to agriculture.
Ashok Chandaragi, coordinator of the Kannada organisations’ central committee, said they are ready to welcome the team if the visit signals project approval.
Meanwhile, environmental concerns persist. Activists from the Paryavarni Foundation and the ‘Save Mahadayi and Save Malaprabha’ campaign have planned a protest on June 3. They warn that diverting the Mahadayi’s waters could lead to desertification in North Karnataka, which depends on the Khanapur forests for rainfall. They also fear the project will submerge over 50 hectares of forest, disrupt freshwater flows to the Bhimgad and Mhadei wildlife sanctuaries, and reduce rainfall in the region.
Nitin Dhond from the foundation said the environmental fallout could be severe and irreversible.
In related news, the National Institute of Oceanography has submitted findings suggesting the Mahadayi diversion would have “minimal impact” on Goa’s coastal ecosystems. The study, commissioned by the Centre, claims the diversion won’t significantly affect estuarine salinity or marine biodiversity. However, Goan activists and some political figures have dismissed the report, arguing that it fails to consider long-term environmental consequences.
