Dharwad: Even as farmers in the Malaprabha command area intensify their demand for the implementation of the Kalasa–Banduri Nala project, a comprehensive study conducted by scientists, water experts, former bureaucrats, and environmentalists has cautioned that diverting waters from the Mahadayi River could cause irreversible ecological damage to the Western Ghats.
Key Findings of the Report
The report, titled “Bandura Nala–Mahadayi Diversion Project and North Karnataka Desertification,” warns that nearly 500 square kilometers of ecologically sensitive forest landscape could be impacted if the diversion project proceeds. It emphasizes that disturbing the hydrological balance of the Western Ghats may have long-term consequences for biodiversity, rainfall patterns, and water security across North Karnataka.
The study has been compiled using scientific data from premier institutions, including the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), IIT Bombay, the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), and the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Expert Panel Behind the Study
The expert panel includes former PWD secretary G.C. Tallur, environmental economist Gopal Kadekodi, noted environmentalist Suresh Heblikar, water conservationist Rajendra Singh, and former forest and ecology department secretary A.N. Yellappa Reddy.
Background of the Kalasa–Banduri Project
The Kalasa–Banduri project was conceived nearly three decades ago to supply water to drought-prone regions of North Karnataka. However, the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal permitted Karnataka to divert only 4 tmc ft of water strictly for drinking purposes in the districts of Belagavi, Bagalkot, Hubballi-Dharwad, and Gadag.
Water Demand and Sugarcane Cultivation
The report argues that current water demand is increasingly linked to the expansion of water-intensive sugarcane cultivation in the Malaprabha basin. According to the study, the area under sugarcane has risen sharply from 25,000 hectares in 2005 to 96,000 hectares in 2025. The crop alone is estimated to consume nearly 140 tmc ft of water annually.
At present, 10 sugar factories in the region process over 90 lakh metric tonnes of sugarcane every year, while another 11 factories are reportedly in the pipeline. Experts warn this could further intensify pressure on already stressed water resources.
Declining Storage Capacity
The study also points to a decline in storage capacity at the Navilutheertha dam. Of its original 37.7 tmc ft capacity, around 12 tmc ft has reportedly been lost to siltation, leaving only about 25 tmc ft of effective storage.
Environmental Concerns
Environmental concerns highlighted in the report include possible impacts on biodiversity-rich regions such as the Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary and Mahadayi Wildlife Sanctuary, both dependent on forest streams originating in the Khanapur region.
Recommendations
The panel has recommended desilting the Navilutheertha dam, restoring the Bennihalla stream, and promoting drip and sprinkler irrigation in sugarcane cultivation. According to the study, these measures together could improve water availability without large-scale river diversion.
Calling for a scientific reassessment of the project, the experts warned that undermining the ecological stability of the Western Ghats could accelerate desertification in North Karnataka.
