A long-standing water dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra has reached a boiling point, with residents and legislators from three northern Karnataka districts accusing their neighboring state of a decades-long deception over the vital waters of the Bhima River.
Decades of Deprivation: The Core of the Dispute
The conflict centers on the sharing of water from the Bhima River, a crucial source for the arid regions of Vijayapura, Kalaburagi, and Yadgir. According to the authoritative Justice Bachawath's report, Karnataka is entitled to receive a total of 15 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) of water from the river. While Maharashtra initially agreed to this allocation, stakeholders in Karnataka now assert that the agreed volume has never been fully shared, leaving their districts parched.
Kalaburagi South Congress MLA, Allamprabhu Patil, has become a vocal advocate for the region's rights. He recently urged the Karnataka state government to formally approach the Central Water Commission (CWC) to claim its rightful share. "The state had the opportunity to use 15 TMC water. However, Maharashtra is consuming more water as the river originates there," Patil told media, highlighting the geographical advantage held by the upper riparian state.
Allegations of Fraud and Unlicensed Diversion
The accusations leveled against Maharashtra are severe. MLA Patil described the neighboring state's water management plans as 'unscientific and fraudulent'. He alleged that Maharashtra has not only consumed more than its fair share but has also diverted flows into the Seena River without obtaining the necessary permissions from the CWC.
"The Seena River joins Bhima River and uses more water. These are all unlicensed schemes and the state government should question all these," Patil pressed. He further warned that this "great deception" is unforgivable and has direct, harsh consequences for Karnataka's people.
Summer Scarcity and Monsoon Floods: The Human Cost
The practical impact of this alleged water theft is a cycle of hardship for the communities in Kalaburagi, Vijayapura, and Yadgir. During the critical summer months, when water is scarce, the Bhima River dams in Maharashtra do not release the agreed-upon water, leading to acute shortages for drinking water, livestock, and crops in Karnataka.
Paradoxically, the situation reverses during the monsoon. Patil explained that the mismanagement upstream contributes to flooding in Karnataka's villages when waters are finally released, endangering people, animals, and agricultural land. "We have to question this stubbornness of Maharashtra before CWC, and in the court," he asserted.
Patil raised this critical issue through a calling-attention motion in the recent legislative session held at the Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi. He revealed that the Maharashtra Bhima Sena is already using a huge amount of water without CWC's permission, and that dozens of projects on the river's banks in Maharashtra violate the stipulations of the Bachawat report.
The MLA's call to action is clear: the Karnataka government must file a formal petition with the Central Water Commission to protect its share and put an end to what he frames as years of injustice that deprive the people of their fundamental water rights.
