VALPOI: Two years after the Centre notified the Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT) award, the Karnataka Government has issued an order for the implementation of a hydro power project using water from the disputed river's basin.
According to an order issued in February 2022, the Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government has given approval to the Karnataka Power Corporation Limited to implement the Mahadayi Hydro Power Project, as per the final verdict of the Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal.
The Karnataka Government order cites the final report of the MWDT stating that Karnataka can make use of 8.02 tmc water for power generation.
In its August 2018 award, which the Centre notified in February 2020, the tribunal allocated 13.42 tmcft of water to Karnataka, which includes 5.40 tmcft for consumption.
Environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar said the Karnataka Government has not taken the clearance of Union Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change. “The Mahadayi Hydro Power Project will come at Chapoli village, Kotani nalla place. If this project comes up then it will destroy the forest and it will affect Goa badly,” said Kerkar.
It may be recalled that there are over 400 villagers residing in the Madai village which comes under the Birondem Panchayat and falls in Poriem constituency. The village is around 13 kms from the Valpoi town.
The villagers had complained to the government that since their village was situated on a hilly area the pressure of the water is not enough to pump water to their houses. It is reported that a 2 MLD water plant project, estimated to cost Rs 2 crore, had been tendered in 2008, but it never came to light.
The village women said they use the Mhadei River water every day for cooking, cleaning and bathing. With the Mahadayi Hydro Power Project coming at Chapoli village, the women said it is going to affect their daily life.
“It is going to affect our lives since the flow of the water from Mhadei River will be become less if the project comes up,” said one elderly villager Y Gaude.