Although a section of the farmers of the Malaprabha Command Area are happy about the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal award of 13.42 tmcft of water to Karnataka, experts believe that it is unlikely that even natural flow from Mahadayi basin will reach Karnataka this rainy season.
Considering the legal formalities and the technical clearances required – including the forest clearance – and the works completed so far, experts say it is highly unlikely that any water will flow into the Malaprabha basin too soon.
Although envisaged in 2002 and subsequently initiated in 2006 with an initial sanction of ₹100 crore, the Kalasa Banduri Nala Project has encountered several legal hurdles and practical problems at the site, resulting in its delay.
There are two components in the Kalasa Banduri (Bandura) Nala Project viz, Kalasa Dam project and Banduri (Bandura) Dam Project. The Kalasa project comprises of two interconnecting canals and two dams while Bandura project comprises of an interconnecting canal and a dam.
While nothing has happened on the Bandura project, one interconnecting canal of 5.15 km and related works worth ₹210 crore have been completed under Kalasa Project. But still two dams and one interconnecting canal have to be constructed. The project cost of both Kalasa and Banduri Nala has now risen to ₹470 cr. and ₹320 cr. respectively.
“The Kalasa Dam project was originally designed for drawing 3.56 tmcft of water to the Malaprabha basin. Now after the tribunal’s verdict, the government has to decide on modifying the dam design, which again depends on government’s decision on going for an appeal. And even if taken up on war footing, the construction of the Kalasa dam will take at least two to three years,” an official of the Water Resources Department told The Hindu.
The official ruled out the possibility of even getting water through natural flow, which has been presently blocked after closure of the two vents of the inter-connecting canal. “Getting clearance for removing the block itself will take time and even if clearance is given, technically it will be difficult to remove the blocks this rainy season,” the official pointed out.