Karnataka to oppose Krishna-Bhima river diversion project by Maharashtra

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Minister M.B. Patil speaking to reporters in Vijayapura on Sunday. | Photo Credit: Rajendra Singh Hajeri

Large and Medium Industries Minister M.B. Patil, who is also Minister-in-charge of Vijayapura district, declared on Sunday that Karnataka will raise strong objections against Maharashtra’s Krishna river water diversion project as it will harm Karnataka’s interests.

Mr. Patil, former Irrigation Minister, said Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had announced plans to divert around 40 tmcft of water from the Krishna river into the Bhima. “This is completely unacceptable. The proposed project would severely harm the interests of Karnataka. We will raise an objection against this,” he said.

“I want to ask the Union government to clarify two points — on what basis is the Maharashtra government proceeding with this project, as it fell outside the scope of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II (KWDT-II) verdict, and how was it possible for Maharashtra to secure financial assistance from the World Bank for this initiative?” he questioned.

Mr. Fadnavis spoke of plans for a project near Mahabaleshwar to divert Krishna water into the Ujjani Dam on the Bhima river. The said objective was to supply water to districts in Marathwada and parts of Sangli and Solapur districts. He also claimed that work on the project had already commenced and that the World Bank was providing financial assistance for the same. Mr. Patil played a video clip of Mr. Fadnavis speaking on the issue.

“There is a possibility that this project could alter water flow patterns within the Upper Krishna sub-basin, potentially affecting the volume of water reaching the Almatti reservoir. This raises concerns about the proposed project’s adverse impacts on water availability — not only for Karnataka but also for other downstream States,” Mr. Patil said. The Minister asserted that undertaking such projects unilaterally — without regard for the Tribunal’s verdict on water sharing or the established rights of the States — was detrimental to the interests of the federal system.

“An all-party meeting, led by the Chief Minister, will be convened soon to discuss this issue. On such serious matters, we will stay united. A unified, non-partisan stance will be taken to safeguard the State’s interests,” he said.

“According to our information, the Maharashtra government sanctioned ₹24 crore in July 2026 for the preparation of a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for this project. Preparations are under way to conduct a geological survey along an 84-km stretch. The DPR is expected to be ready by the end of 2026, and the estimated cost for the project is around ₹19,000 crore,” Mr. Patil said.

“However, this project raises several questions, particularly in light of the verdict delivered by the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II and the legal obligations concerning the allocation of river water. In addition to the 2,130 tmcft of water available based on 75% dependability, the Tribunal has allocated an extra 448 tmcft of water, calculated based on 65% dependability and average availability. Of this additional water, 81 tmcft has been allocated to Maharashtra, 173 tmcft to Karnataka, and 194 tmcft to the then-undivided Andhra Pradesh. According to Clause XVI of the Tribunal’s verdict, the competent authority has the provision to review or revise the water allocation order at any time after May 31, 2050,’’ the Minister said.

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