Mahadayi Diversion: 71-Acre Forest Proposal Removed from Pending Projects Queue

The news

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has removed Karnataka’s Mahadayi basin diversion works from the online queue of pending projects, a move that Goa’s Water Resources Development Minister Subhash Shirodkar described as a withdrawal of forest clearance. The decision, reported on 13 November 2026, affects a proposal by the Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited (KNNL) to divert 71 acres of forest land in Khanapur, Belagavi district, for pipelines, a pumphouse and powerlines. The first phase of the diversion is intended to supply drinking water to Hubballi-Dharwad, Gadag and some villages.

Central ministry officials said the removal followed Karnataka’s delay in submitting responses to queries raised during two field visits. A notice was issued to the Congress government in the state in July 2026, but an appropriate response was not received on time. Officials also indicated that a final decision on the proposal can be taken only after the Supreme Court rules on the inter-State river water dispute between Karnataka and Goa. Separately, the Kalasa Nala diversion proposal, another project in the basin, is yet to be submitted to the Centre. Karnataka forest officials have noted that the Banduri Nala involves lesser forest land submergence than the Kalasa Nala project. Goa has opposed the diversion projects, arguing they could threaten the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and Western Ghats ecology.

What is the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal?

The inter-State river water dispute over the Mahadayi (Mhadei) was referred to the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal by the central government in 2010 under Section 4 of the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956. The Tribunal delivered its final award in 2018, allocating water shares among the basin states of Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra. Karnataka was permitted to divert a limited quantum of water for drinking purposes, but the award was challenged by all three states in the Supreme Court, where the matter remains pending. The Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary in Goa was notified in 1999 and forms a part of the Western Ghats, selected sites of which were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2012. The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 requires prior approval of the central government for the diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes, which is the clearance process Karnataka had initiated.

What is the Mahadayi river dispute about?

The Mahadayi, also known as Mhadei, originates in Karnataka and flows through Goa before joining the Arabian Sea. Karnataka and Goa have been in a long-standing dispute over the sharing of its waters. Karnataka plans to divert water from the Mahadayi basin to meet drinking water needs in Hubballi-Dharwad, Gadag and surrounding villages, while Goa opposes the diversion, citing potential threats to the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and the Western Ghats ecosystem. The matter is currently before the Supreme Court.

What has the removal from the queue achieved and missed?

The removal from the online queue means the proposal is no longer under active consideration by the ministry, effectively stalling the forest clearance process. Goa’s minister welcomed the move, saying it strengthens the state’s case in the Supreme Court. However, the removal does not constitute a final judicial decision; central officials have stated that a final decision on the proposal can be taken only after the Supreme Court rules on the inter-State dispute. The planned drinking-water objective for Hubballi-Dharwad and Gadag remains unaddressed, and farmers who received acquisition notices had opposed the proposal at a meeting in Khanapur in April 2025.