WRD official’s Nerse visit confirms Karnataka water diversion work

Keri: Water resources department’s (WRD) superintending engineer Dilip Naik recently visited the pipe fabrication plant at Nerse near Khanapur in Karnataka.

The work is on by Karnataka to divert water from tributaries of the Mhadei into the Malaprabha basin. Naik confirmed after the visit that work was being carried out by Karnataka on the site.

TOI in its edition dated Sept 19, 2024, had published a report titled ‘Karnataka a step closer to diverting water with pipe fabrication plant at Nerse’. Taking note of this, WRD minister Subhash Shirodkar directed the superintending engineer to verify the facts on water diversion.

Naik stated that he has submitted a report to govt about a steel structure being erected at the site. “I also observed a stack of RCC railway sleepers, a heavy-duty crane and machinery. It was all covered with a tarpaulin,” he said.

He also found that Karnataka has completed the alignment of pipeline for diversion of the Bhandura nullah tributary of Mhadei in Nerse to the Malaprabha river through the forest road and has done markings with cemented poles at regular intervals.

Karnataka has obtained the necessary approval for the Detailed Project Reports of Kalasa-Bhandura Project in accordance with the allocation made by the Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal and is making all the possible attempts to obtain necessary environment and wildlife clearances now for the work.

At Kalasa project site in Kankumbi, the water, which was earlier flowing towards the direction of Goa, has now been passing through the RCC conduits into the Malaprabha river.

Meanwhile, the petitions filed by Goa govt in the Supreme Court have been clubbed together and relisted for directions by the bench in the week commencing from Jan 20, 2025.