KALASA NALA DIVERSION PROJECT (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: In a meeting led by the Union Minister for Forests, Environment, and Climate Change, the National Wildlife Board (NWB) denied wildlife clearance for the Kalasa Nala Diversion Project due to ongoing legal challenges by the Goa government in the Supreme Court related to the Mahadayi project.

Kalasa Nala Diversion Project

• About: This water dispute between Governments of Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra.
• Objective: To divert water from the Mahadayi River to meet the drinking water needs of the drought-prone regions of Karnataka, has faced multiple legal and environmental hurdles.
• Coverage Area: The Kalasa nala project involves the diversion of around 27 hectares of land, including 11 hectares in a tiger corridor between Karnataka and Goa.
• Tributary Diversion: The project involves the construction across Kalasa and Banduri, tributaries of the Mahadayi river, to divert water to the Malaprabha river.
• Essential Water Source: Malaprabha river, which is fed by the diverted water, is crucial for providing drinking water to Dharwad, Belgaum, and Gadag districts.
• Legal Disputes: In response to the objections, the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal was established in 2010, involving Goa, Karnataka, and Maharashtra to resolve the conflict.

Mahadayi River

• About: It originates in the Western Ghats, specifically from the Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka's Belagavi district.
• Course and Length: The river flows 35 km through Karnataka and 82 km through Goa before it joins the Arabian Sea at Panaji in North Goa.
• Importance: It is rain-fed and serves as a crucial water source for both Karnataka and Goa.
• Environmental Significance: The Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is situated on the island of Chorao in the Mandovi River, highlighting the river's ecological importance.
• Major Tributaries: Kalasa Nala, Banduri Nala, Surla Nala, and Haltar Nala, among others.