Central Ministry removes Mahadayi basin works from online queue of pending projects

The Mahadayi, popularly known as Mhadei, flows quietly from Sonal Tal village in Sattari taluk, North Goa district, on the Goa-Karnataka border.

The Union government has removed the Banduri Nala diversion project in the Mahadayi river basin from the list of pending clearances from the website of the Forest Ministry.

This is believed to be due to Karnataka government’s delay in submitting responses to some queries raised by the Central team about the project.

The project was removed from the online queue of pending proposals on the PARIVESH portal of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).

Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited (KNNL) had applied for clearance to divert 71 acres of forest land for construction of pipelines, a pumphouse and powerlines in Nerse, Manturga and Bacholi villages and surrounding areas in Khanapur of Belagavi district.

Farmers, who received notices, held a meeting in Khanapur and opposed the land acquisition proposal in April 2025.

The Ministry officials conducted two field visits and issued a notice to the Congress government in the State in July 2026. But this notice did not receive an appropriate response on time.

The Central Ministry officials also indicated that a final decision on the proposal can be taken only after the Supreme Court gives a ruling in the inter-State river water dispute.

This is the first phase of the Mahadayi basin diversion works planned to provide drinking water to Hubballi-Dharwad and Gadag cities and also, some villages. The proposal for the Kalasa Nala diversion project, which is another project, is yet to be submitted to the Centre.

Karnataka forest officials say that the Banduri Nala involves lesser area of forest land submersion, compared to the Kalasa Nala project.

Meanwhile, Goa Water Resources Development Minister Subhash Shirodkar said that the Union government has withdrawn forest clearance given to Karnataka’s proposal.

He told reporters in Panaji on Friday that this move is in favour of Goa and it will strengthen his State’s case in the Supreme Court against the river basin diversion projects.

He welcomed the move and argued that Goa is opposed to the river basin projects as they can threaten the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and Western Ghats ecology in general.