In court

water feud: Acting on a petition against the Kalasa-Bhandura diversion project, the Karnataka high court has issued show cause notice to the state government and the Union ministry of environment and forests. The project will divert 7,560 million cubic metres of water from river Mandovi to river Malaprabha and displace Kankumbi and Nerse villages, said Paryavarni, a non-profit based in Belgaum district, in the petition. The project will also submerge 732 hectares (ha) of land in the Western Ghats, of which 500 ha is under forest cover. This will affect the proposed Bhimgad wildlife sanctuary, which is an important corridor for elephants and tigers. The petition also contended that the project has not obtained environmental clearance under the Environment Protection Act, 1986 (see