PORVORIM: The State has assured to conduct a joint inspection along the Kalsa-Bandura project in view of allegations that Karnataka has been illegally diverting water from Mhadei basin, in contempt of the court. However, this inspection will only be possible after four months. 

The House witnessed an elaborate discussion on the very contentious issue during a Calling Attention Motion tabled by the five Congress legislators on Thursday, with MLAs from the treasury and opposition benches expressing concern over blatant violation by the neighouring Southern state. 

“We are serious about this issue. We will ensure that Goa’s interest is protected,” said Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, while replying to the discussion. After repeated demands from the MLAs, WRD Minister Felipe Neri Rodrigues said they will schedule a joint inspection after taking a legal view from the Goa Advocate General. The inspection, of the project, he said will be only after four months. 

Opposition leader Digambar Kamat and his party colleagues Pratapsingh Rane, Luizinho Faleiro, Ravi Naik and Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco raised apprehensions about the Inter-State Water Disputes (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in view of intended dissolution of Madhei Water Dispute Tribunal. “Fear, anxiety, apprehension and genuine concerns about Inter-State Water Disputes (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in view of intended dissolution of Madhei Water Dispute Tribunal and difficulty, which Goa would face before the proposed single National Tribunal and lack of State government’s response on the Bill and failure to take people of Goa into confidence to guarantee Water Security,” stated the Calling Attention Motion.

MGP MLA Ramkrishna Sudin Dhavalikar also supported the motion stating that Goa would not be able to fight the battle with the proposed new development. 

Rodrigues allayed their apprehensions stating that even after the notification; Goa can submit these references before the Tribunal. “We have a lot of reference that will stand in the new Tribunal. We have consistently fought on the issue and successive governments fought with great spirit,” he said. 

The Supreme Court on Monday admitted the Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed before it last month, where the State government appealed against the order by the Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal allocating water to Karnataka and Maharashtra.