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Amid Mhadei river row, Goa to approach SC over Karnataka ‘diverting’ water
During the question hour, Sawant said that he was aware that Karnataka was doing “activities”, but that there was little Goa could do except go to the Supreme Court with their pleas.
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The Goa government will approach the Supreme Court with a plea that Karnataka has started “diverting water” from the Kalasa tributary of the Mhadei river, chief minister Pramod Sawant told the state legislative assembly on Tuesday amid ruckus by Opposition benches that the state government wasn’t doing enough to prevent the diversion of the river.
Speaking during the question hour, Sawant said that he was aware that Karnataka was doing “activities”, but that there was little Goa could do except go to the Supreme Court with their pleas.
The Mhadei river originates in the Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka, and flows through Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra as it empties into the Arabian Sea at Panaji in Goa. The Centre had set up a tribunal which decided on sharing the river water between the three riparian states — Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra. Goa and Karnataka along with Maharashtra have appealed against the tribunal’s order on sharing water by the three states in the SC, and the matter is sub-judice.
“Karnataka has been doing activities within its jurisdiction for the longest time. Irrespective of which government is in power (in Karnataka) they are doing these activities. We cannot go to their jurisdiction and stop them. They do not have any permission from the Ministry of Environment and Forests. But the Goa government has taken every step to counter their attempts to divert the Mhadei water. We will be filing a contempt of court petition as soon as possible,” Sawant said in the assembly.
Opposition members alleged that the Goa government had failed to convince the court’s of its case before the Tribunal and the Supreme Court, which has allowed Karnataka to reach thus far. “The government should take note that the Karnataka government has made all pre-preparations and kept everything ready on the ground to commence work. They have marked the forest trees for cutting and also marked the route and track for siphoning the water,” leader of Opposition Yuri Alemão said, adding that the government has spent more than ₹16 crores on legal matters but has nothing to show for it.
“On consultancy services, the government has spent ₹4 crores, on legal professional fees, travelling allowances and accommodation for lawyers ₹12.44 crore and ₹64 lakh has been spent on tour programmes of ministers and officers,” he said.
“We may lose Mhadei but the legal brains will always win. Spending on legal fees is probably our way of expressing love and concern for Mother Mhadei. The legal matters, consultancy and other expenditure has cost more than ₹16 crore to the state exchequer,” Alemao said, asking what is the current status of Mhadei matter.
Leader of the Goa Forward Vijai Sardesai said there was evidence that forest lands have been marked under the guise of pipe manufacturing, allegedly to divert water towards Dharwad, Karnataka. Members of the Opposition stormed into the well of the House demanding a discussion, but which was denied by the Speaker.
With inputs from PTI
