Daijiworld Media Network - Keri
Keri, Oct 26: An inter-state dialogue involving stakeholders from Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra on the Malaprabha–Mhadei water dispute and Karnataka’s proposed damming and diversion projects was held at Devalaya in Dharwad over the weekend.
The two-day consultation brought together affected communities, environmentalists and representatives from the three states to discuss competing concerns and explore a sustainable and equitable resolution to the decades-old dispute.
National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) representative Nirmala Gowda said the consultation aimed to provide a common platform for stakeholders to share their concerns, expectations and perspectives.
The event was jointly organised by NAPM, SPARK Karnataka, Eco Watch, Sarvodaya Samaj, People First Foundation, Gandhi Shanti Pratishthan and the Hubballi–Dharwad Citizens Environment Committee.
Shankar Ambali and other farmers from north Karnataka said the state should be allowed to use 4 TMC ft of water, arguing that it was primarily needed to meet drinking water requirements. They also stressed that their livelihoods depended on sustainable agriculture and maintained that they were not using irrigation water for sugarcane cultivation.
Representing Goa, Mhadei Bachao Abhiyan’s Nirmala Sawant said the state was water-deficient and that the Mhadei River was a lifeline for drinking water, irrigation and other daily needs.
Other speakers from Goa, including Dasharth Morajkar, Abhijit Prabhudesai and Eric Pinto, highlighted the river’s importance for drinking water and agriculture. They warned that diverting its waters could increase salinity, adversely affecting fish habitats and the wider ecosystem.
Maharashtra’s Prasad Gawade opposed damming and diversion projects, as well as mining activities in ecologically sensitive areas of the Western Ghats. He said protecting forested regions would help the Konkan region meet its drinking water and irrigation needs through springs, tanks and traditional community-managed water-harvesting systems.