Staff Reporter
Sankhali
A large gathering of affected farmers, socio-environmental activists, political leaders, and spiritual figures came together at Y B Chavan Hall in Khanapur on Wednesday to oppose the works of the Kalasa-Bhandura
project.
Nitin Dhond said that Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Ltd (KNNL) has initiated work on the Kalasa project in Kankumbi and recently issued land acquisition notices for the Bhandura project without securing mandatory environmental clearances. “This will pose a grave threat to the ecology, environment, and wildlife of the Mhadei region,” he said.
Environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar from Goa, who attended the meeting, said it was significant that after nearly 25 years, affected farmers and activists from Belgaum district have united on a common platform to strongly oppose Karnataka’s Kalasa-Bhandura project.
Activist Dilip Kamat said damming and diversion in the ecologically sensitive Khanapur taluka, known for its rich forests and monsoon rainfall, will endanger both life and livelihood in the area.
Speakers said the project will cause irreversible damage to the Western Ghats through forest fragmentation and destruction, severely impacting the microclimate, rainfall, and water security in the Mhadei-Malaprabha basin. They demanded a halt to the works underway at Nersa, and called for a halt to the land acquisition process including notices issued to farmers in Asoga, Manturga, Rumewadi, and Karambal.
Affected farmers, including Sujit Mulgund, Shivaji Kangnikar, Adv Nila Deshpande, and Mallikarjun Wali, voiced their opposition to the diversion projects.
Groups such as Paryavarini Belgaum and Nature Lovers Club of Belgaum, along with retd Lt Gen S C Sardeshpande and Nyla Coelho, have also been vocal in opposing the diversion of Mhadei and its tributaries.
