Centre issues notification on Mahadayi water row

Demand for diversion to Supa rejected

The Centre on Thursday issued a notification on sharing the waters of inter-State Mahadayi among Karnataka, Goa, and Maharashtra.

In its order on August 14, 2018, the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal allocated 13.42 tmcft of water from the Mahadayi to Karnataka.

The tribunal was set up to settle the nearly four-decade-old dispute among the three States. The dispute has been a rallying political point for all political parties in Karnataka.

Power generation

Of the 13.42 tmcft of water allocated for Karnataka, 5.5 tmcft is meant for use within the river basin and for diversion to the Malaprabha reservoir, and around 8 tmcft for power generation. The Supreme Court on February 20, 2020, in its interim order, allowed Karnataka’s plea for implementing the final award by the tribunal.

Water-sharing formula

The tribunal had awarded the water-sharing formula on August 14, 2018 and forwarded it to the Union government for action. Later, all three States filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the tribunal award.

Karnataka filed a petition in the apex court seeking directions to the Centre to notify the award.

The notification said the demand by Karnataka for diversion of 5.27 tmcft of water of Mahadayi river to the Supa reservoir of the Kali hydropower project for power generation has been rejected.