Expedite Kalasa-Banduri project: Mahadayi farmers

Hubballi: Farmers here have urged the state government to break the wall built at the project site of Kalasa-Banduri in Kanakumbi village to facilitate the flow of water to Malaprabha reservoir, after the Mahadayi tribunal verdict. Stating that Malaprabha is the only dam in the state which has not reached the brim though all other reservoirs have become full this year after good rainfall in several districts, the farmers said that storage of more water will help in the redressal of the drinking water problem in the region in  summer. 

They also said that allocation of 4 tmc water by the Mahadayi tribunal is not enough to solve the drinking water scarcity in four districts of Malaprabha river basin. Stressing on the need to obtain environmental clearance from the Central government to continue the project to build a barrage across Kalasa stream, the farmer leaders urged Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy to initiate the tender process to construct the barrage across Banduri stream to divert water to Malaprabha dam.

"The four districts of Mumbai-Karnataka region in the Malaprabha river basin will require at least 8 tmc water to meet drinking water needs. But, the Malaprabha dam has become full only four times since it was built in 1972. Therefore, the government should give priority to divert water from Kalasa-Banduri immediately to facilitate storage of more water as the verdict of the tribunal has given temporary relief to farmers", farmer leader Vikas Soppin said.