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Mahadayi dispute: Goa leader writes to Karnataka CM, SC after reports of fracas during joint inspection
PANAJI Goa Forward Party leader Vijai Sardesai has written a letter to Karnataka chief minister B
PANAJI Goa Forward Party leader Vijai Sardesai has written a letter to Karnataka chief minister B.S Yeddyurappa alleging that officials from the latter’s state behaved high-handedly with the members of the Goa delegation during the joint inspection ordered by the Supreme Court in the Mahadayi river dispute. Sardesai has also addressed a letter to the Chief Justice of India.
While the Goa government was yet to register a formal protest, officials of the Goa water resources department admitted that there was a ‘fracas’ outside the gates of the venue where the inspection was scheduled, with some members of the state delegation involving in a confrontation with the Karnataka Police, who, they said, behaved in a demeaning manner with them.
“We believe that the restriction of the Goan delegation by the Karnataka police is a gross violation of the Supreme Court… we remain utterly shocked and express our deepest concerns to the numerous examples of misconduct and verbal abuse faced by the Goan officers,” Sardesai wrote in his letter to Yeddurappa.
“We urge Karnataka and especially its police force to duly permit and not obstruct the proceedings of the Joint Inspection Committee. We have always treated our neighbours with respect and dignity. Likewise, we too expect the same from Karnataka,” Sardesai added.
Rajendra Kerkar, who was one of Goa’s expert witnesses called to testify before the Mahadayi Tribunal during the hearings, said that members of the delegation were roughed up, had their ID cards confiscated and treated ‘insultingly’.
“Although this was meant to be an inspection by the three nominated officers from each state, Karnataka brought a battery of officials who had no business being present for the inspection, but from Goa side only one official was allowed to take part. The rest were treated like criminals,” said Kerkar, who was among those who was involved in the confrontation.
Sardesai has, meanwhile, also urged the Supreme Court to take note of Karnataka’s ‘misbehaviour’.
“The Goan delegation who were part of the joint inspection team were made to wait outside the Kalsa project while the joint inspection was being carried out, their lDs confiscated by the Karnataka police. Additionally, the Goan delegation reported that they face numerous instances of verbal abuse and were treated with utmost disrespect,” Sardesai wrote in his letter.
“By obstructing the Goan delegation from performing and inspecting their due diligence at the Kalsa project, the Government of Karnataka and the Karnataka Police force have violated the Supreme Court’s order and we urge that the apex court look into this matter,” Sardesai added.
While hearing Goa’s contempt plea filed before the Supreme Court alleging that Karnataka had violated the terms of the Mahadayi tribunal award and had begun diverting water even before they met the conditions stipulated by the tribunal, the Supreme Court ordered that a joint inspection of an official nominated by each of the three contesting states — Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra — be held.
Despite the inspection being held last week, officials said that the report to be submitted to the Supreme Court is yet to be finalised.
Goa has opposed any diversion of waters of the Mahadayi river, which originates in the Western Ghats in Karnataka, takes a detour via Maharashtra and enters Goa as the Mandovi. The Mahadayi river basin drains an area of 2,032 sq km, out of which 375 sqkm lies in Karnataka, 77 sqkm in Maharashtra and rest in Goa.
Both the Goa and Karnataka governments have, for very different reasons, challenged the final award granted by the Mahadayi Interstate Water Disputes Tribunal, which in a verdict in August 2018, granted Karnataka a total of 13.42 Thousand Million Cubic Feet (TMC) of water out of their demand of 36.558 TMC.
While Goa has approached the Supreme Court arguing that Karnataka shouldn’t be allowed to divert any water owing to the fact that the Mahadayi is a water-deficient river, Karnataka has argued that the tribunal erred in granting it only 13.42 TMC of water. Besides the Goa government has also filed a contempt petition accusing Karnataka of violation of the Supreme Court’s orders in going ahead with the diversion while the case is ongoing.
