The Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal allowing partial diversion of water to Malaprabha basin in its final order on Tuesday may have brought immediate cheer in North Karnataka region, but Irrigation Department officials believe it could offer only short-term benefits.
While Karnataka had sought 7.56 tmcft of water for drinking purposes in Hubballi-Dharwad and surrounding villages through the Kalasa-Banduri project, the tribunal allowed 4 tmcft of water to be diverted.
Till 2050
“We can say the award has brought mixed benefits to the State by allowing the diversion to Malaprabha basin on one hand and restricting water usage on the other. However, the State sought 7.56 tmcft for drinking purposes for a population forecast till 2050 when the population in the region would swell to around 24 lakh,” an Irrigation Department official told The Hindu.
10 to 15 years
The allocated water for Kalasa-Banduri may be sufficient for next 10 or 15 years after which the region could face water deficit again, the official said.
Currently, Hubballi draws 1.98 to 2 tmcft of water from the Malaprabha, which results in deficient water for irrigation. “The full allocation of water for Kalasa-Banduri project would have allowed use of Malaprabha water for irrigation.”
While Karnataka had sought 3.56 tmcft of water for Kalasa, it had sought 4 tmcft to Banduri projects – both tributaries of Mahadayi. However, the tribunal allocated 1.8 tmcft of water to Kalasa and 2.8 tmcft to Banduri.
“In fact, at Kalasa we have a higher yield of water and Banduri we have lower yield. We do not know why the tribunal gave the award like this. In fact, construction of Haltara dam (part of Kalasa project) may not be feasible at all since impounding capacity is far less than what was conceived. The government may have to review the project planning now,” said the official.
‘1.5 tmcft may not help’
The other provision of the State receiving an allocation of 1.5 tmcft of water within the Mahadayi basin may not help much, another official in Kalasa project said.
“We do not see much scope for irrigation projects or drinking water projects in the Mahadayi basin since it is a forest area. The allocated water can irrigate 10,000 to 12,000 acres, but the area does not have that much agricultural land. There is not much habitation along the river course too. So how do we use the water and how can State benefit,” he asked.
Non-consumptive
In fact, as against the State’s demand for 14 tmcft of water for hydel generation at Kotni dam, the tribunal has awarded 8 tmcft of water.
“All the water used for hydel generation is non-consumptive. It would have anyway gone back to Goa. The tribunal should have considered all of these,” the official said.
