Goa, June 3 -- The Karnataka government's Kalsa-Bhandura (Kalasa-Banduri) water diversion project aims to divert water from the Kalasa and Bhandura tributaries of the Mhadei (Mahadayi) River to the drought-affected Malaprabha basin. This project intends to supply drinking water to several North Karnataka districts, including Belagavi, Dharwad, Bagalkot, and Gadag. According to the Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal, Karnataka has been allotted 7.56 TMC of water, with 2.18 TMC designated for the Bhandura dam and 1.72 TMC for the Kalasa dam.

However, the project has met strong resistance from environmentalists and local communities. Critics warn that diverting water from the Mhadei basin threatens the fragile ecosystem of the Western Ghats, a ...