Mhadei Tribunal Award

The three party States, namely, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa, are permitted to undertake specific water resources development activities in the Mhadei river basin as under;

  Karnataka

* 42.5 Mcum (1.5 tmc) of water for in-basin consumptive use for drinking water and irrigation within the river basin, through proposed Mhadei Hydro-Electric Project 

* Permitted to divert 61.8 Mcum (2.18 tmc) of Mhadei water at proposed Bhandura dam and 48.7 Mcum (1.72 tmc) of water at proposed Kalasa dam

* Directed to modify the DPR of the proposed Mhadei Hydro Electric Power Project adopting the water availability at 75% dependability at the proposed project site limiting to a maximum of 227.4 Mcum (8.02 tmc), that is, the water availability at 75% dependability assessed by the Tribunal (from the catchment area of 93.19 sq.km. i.e., without the Bhandura catchment of 32.25 sq.km.) only.

Plea Rejected 

* The demand for diversion of 156.6 Mcum (5.527 tmc) of water of Mhadei river basin to the Supa reservoir of the Kali Hydro-Electric Power Project, for generation of hydro-power is not found justified by the Tribunal, and is therefore, rejected; 

* The demand in respect of proposed diversion of 198.3 Mcum (7 tmc) of surplus water from the proposed Kotni reservoir of the Mhadei Hydro Electric Power Project, has also not been found justified and is hereby rejected by the Tribunal;

Goa 
* Allows Goa to go ahead with proposed 59 water resource development projects
* The permission of the Tribunal to plan for utilization of 668 Mcum (24 tmc) of water at seventy five per cent dependability, is over and above the existing utilization of 9.395 tmc by the State of Goa
* Permitted to plan and utilize a maximum of 24 tmc of water at seventy five per cent dependability
  Maharashtra 
+ The Tribunal permits limiting to 15.93 Mcum (0.56 tmc) of water for Virdi Large MI Project, which shall include all consumptive uses including reservoir losses
+ The Tribunal also permits to use a total of 21.8 Mcum (0.77 tmc) of water in respect of four proposed projects, namely, (a) 0.32 tmc for (Morachi Rai) Minor Irrigation Project, (b) 0.16 tmc for Virdi B Minor Irrigation Project, (c) 0.27 tmc for Dhangarwadi Minor Irrigation Project, and (d) 0.02 tmc for Ambadgaon Minor Irrigation Project;
+ In all, the State of Maharashtra is permitted to utilize 37.73 Mcum (1.33 tmc) Mhadei water 

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