Centre approves setting up Mahadayi authority

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the setting up of Mahadayi PRAWAH (Progressive River Authority for Welfare and Harmony) to implement the final award of the Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal (MWDT).

The Authority, on the lines of the Cauvery Water Management Authority, constituted in compliance with the final award of the MWDT. The main task of the Authority will be to implement the final award of the Tribunal.

"It will also aid in building mutual trust & understanding among party states Goa, Karnataka & Maharashtra thereby ensuring the right use of water resources of this region for its overall development," Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat tweeted while announcing the decision.

Hailing the decision, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that this would pave the way for implementing the projects of Karnataka.

The MWDT pronounced the final award alloting 38.74 tmc water among Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra in August 2018. Karnataks's share is 13.46 tmc feet of water and in which 5.4 tmc ft is for consumption. The state plans to provide drinking water to parched Hubballi-Dharwad and Belgaum region by building Kalasa and Bhundura Nala by diverting Mahadayi river water. The tribunal allocated 24 tmc ft to Goa and 1.33 tmc ft to Maharashtra.

The Jal Shakti Ministry issued a Gazette notification on February 28, 2020, of the final award of the Tribunal.

The Central Water Commission recently approved Karnataka’s Mahadayi diversion project. However, Goa has been opposing the project saying diversion of river water would dry up Mahadayi (also called Mandovi) river, the lifeline of the state. Goa also approached the Supreme Court against the Tribunal final award and the matter is pending before the Apex Court.