Centre clears Kalasa-Banduri Nala project DPR, Karnataka CM claims victory

BELAGAVI: Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday announced that the Centre has cleared the much disputed Kalasa-Banduri Nala project's detailed project report (DPR).
Claiming a “victory” ahead of the assembly elections, CM Bommai announced the Centre’s clearance for the DPR which was submitted in November 2022.
“Considering that the legislature session is being held in Belagavi, I am glad to announce that the Centre has recently cleared the much disputed Kalasa-Banduri Nala project which has been a long standing demand of north Karnataka taluks,” said Bommai.
The CM recalled that the project was first initiated by his father, and then CM, S R Bommai over river sharing with Goa and using the water for drinking purposes.
“However, successive governments failed to follow through and there were several environmental, forest and inter-state water disputes. Today, finally, we have realised the goal which was set upon decades ago,” said Bommai.
The project, which provides drinking water to the key twin cities of Hubbali-Dharwad and no less than 12 other taluks in the vicinity has been long pending with Goa opposing the diversion of the water from the Kalasa and Banduri dams in that state.
However, the diversion of water was approved by the Mahadayi river tribunal in 2018 with Karnataka getting an allocation of 3.9 TMC (1.72 TMC from Kalasa and 2.18 TMC from Banduri dams).
But the project continued to remain under scrutiny with the riparian states--Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka-- filing separate special leave petitions (SLP) in the Supreme Court over the allocation of the water.
However, an exemption was sought by the state from the SC asking directions to be issued to the center to provide drinking water to 12-14 taluks of Karnataka.
Considering this, the Central Water Commission (CWC) issued orders in 2020 to Karnataka to submit a DPR which shall be scrutinized with pre-feasibility report and technical appraisal report on the matter.
“Having gotten the clearance for all these reports, we finally submitted the DPR in November 2022 and was cleared by the centre, at a time when we are hosting the legislature session in Belagavi,” he said.
The CM praised prime minister Narendra Modi and even called the drinking water DPR clearance by the centre as a “gift” to north Karnataka, claiming that the timing was perfect for approving the DPr.
It may be recalled that the project had seen a lot of politics with former chief minister B S Yediyurappa, ahead of the 2018 elections, meeting the Goa CM to discuss an “out-of-court” settlement and a serious farmers agitation in Naragund and Navalgund taluks.
However, the center’s approval for the DPR has been approved subject to the final directions of the SC on the water allocation.