MANDOVI RIVER WATER DISPUTE

Goa is concerned about Karnataka’s plan to construct the Kalasa Bhandura canal to divert water from the upper reaches of Mhadei to the Malaprabha basin.

River Mandovi:

River Mandovi is considered the ‘lifeline of Goa’. It is also known as Mhadei in its upper reaches.
The Mandovi and the Zuari are the two primary rivers of Goa.
Mandovi joins with the Zuari at a common creek forming the Mormugao harbour.
Panaji, the state capital is situated on the left bank of the Mandovi.
The river originates from a cluster of 30 spring in the Western Ghats in the Karnataka.
On its way the river makes the Dudhsagar Falls and Varapoha Falls and is also known as the Gomati in a few places.
The river enters Goa from the north and eventually falls into Arabian sea.
The catchment area of the river is spread over Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra.
The tributaries of Mandovi are Nerul, Mapusa, Udnai, Dudhsagar River, Ragada River and Kotrachi Nadi.

What is the Dispute?

There is dispute over sharing of the waters of the Mandovi river between the governments of Karnataka and Goa.
The Karnataka government proposes to divert some water from the Mahadayi river to the Malaprabha River basin as part of the Kalasa-Banduri Nala project.
Recently the Central Water Commission (CWC) approving the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the proposed projects which has raised concerns for Goa.
Earlier in 2018, the Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT) Award on the allocation of water between three states (i.e., Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra) has been questioned in the Supreme Court by all the parties).

SOURCE: THE HINDU, THE ECONOMIC TIMES, PIB

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