Members of Paryavarani, an NGO dedicated to conserving the Western Ghats, particularly the Bhimgarh and Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuaries, have launched a campaign to raise awareness about the negative environmental impact of the Mhadei River diversion in Karnataka. Environmentalists warn that this project will damage the region’s rich biodiversity, significantly reducing rainfall in Belagavi district and accelerating the desertification of North Karnataka.
On Saturday, various green organizations, including Paryavarani, Parivarthan, and Parisarkkagi Naavu (We for Environment), gathered at Kannada Sahitya Bhavan to discuss the devastating consequences of the Kalsa-Bhandura and Mhadei water diversion projects. The activists urged authorities in the riparian states to avoid politicizing the issue and focus on conserving the region’s ecology for the sake of future generations.
Speaking to the media, Capt. Nitin Dhond explained that constructing the Kalsa-Bhandura dams would divert water from the Mhadei River, impacting approximately 500 sq km of biodiverse forest in the Bhimgad and Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuaries. He noted that this deforestation, involving the cutting of over 200,000 trees, would drastically reduce rainfall, particularly in the Khanapur region, which supplies 85% of water to the Renukasagar Dam on the Malaprabha River. “The destruction of these biodiverse forests, responsible for 40% of the rainfall in Khanapur taluka, will severely impact the region’s water cycle and lead to the desertification of North Karnataka,” Capt. Dhond said.
Refuting Karnataka’s claim that the Mhadei River’s water is being wasted as it flows into the sea, noted environmentalist and water conservationist Dilip Kamat stressed that rivers flowing to the sea are crucial to completing the monsoon’s hydrological cycle. He added that westward-flowing rivers like Mhadei play a vital role in global cooling by supporting CO2-absorbing algae and other ecological benefits.
The green activists proposed an alternative solution: diverting the Bennihalla River in Dharwad district, which runs parallel to the Malaprabha. Capt. Dhond highlighted that this river is an eco-friendly and cost-effective source of water for North Karnataka, which could meet the region’s current and future needs without harming the Western Ghats’ delicate ecology.
Other prominent environmentalists, including Dr. Shivaji Kaganikar, Sharada Gopal, Geeta Sahu, and Nyla Coelho, were also present at the gathering.
