PANJIM: In what could be termed a major jolt to the State in the fight against the diversion of River Mhadei waters, the Centre has said that Karnataka and Maharashtra do not need any consent from Goa for the Kalsa-Bhandura project, though they require permissions as per law from different ministries and authorities.
The Centre, however, appointed the National Institute of Hydrology, Rorkee to study the salinity in the Mhadei as demanded by Goa.
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Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, in a letter to Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant, said that regarding prior consent of the lower riparian State, Goa may refer to the Report-cum-Decision of Mahadeyi Water Dispute dated August 14, 2018 (para 766 of volume VI).
“It is mentioning that “…this Tribunal has no hesitation in holding that the upper riparian States of Karnataka and Maharashtra, though do require requisite clearances and approvals, as required by law and from the Central Government, and the Planning Commission (now Niti Aayog), but they do not require any prior consent of the lower riparian State of Goa and similarly the State of Maharashtra, being an upper riparian State vis-a vis the State of Goa, also does not require any such prior consent of the State of Goa.”
Shekhawat’s letter was in reply to Sawant’s letter dated March 5, 2020 wherein he had raised objections on Karnataka’s plans to divert water.
“I have examined the matter. I would like to inform you that as per the order the Supreme Court dated 20.2.2020, the Central Government has published the Report-cum-Decision of Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal dated 14.6.2018 in the Gazette of India on 27.2.2020. Subsequent to this, the Government of Karnataka has recently submitted feasibility reports of Kalasa Nala Diversion Scheme and Bhandura Naia Diversion Scheme to Central Water Commission (CWC), and these are under appraisal as per the existing CWC guidelines and as per the directions/order given in the Report-cum Decision of MWDT,” Shekhawat’s letter said.
About sharing the copy of the project proposal to the co-basin States is concerned, as per the existing norms, “Copy of PFR (Pre-Feasibility Report) of any project proposed in the river basin for which no tribunal award or inter-State agreement exists will be circulated to the co-basin States by the Project Authority Central Water Commission (CWC) will send copy of the PFR to Resident Commissioner of the party States in New Delhi.”
However, the Union Minister said, it is felt that in the above norms there is no bar in sharing the PFR/DPR of the project proposed in the river basin for which Tribunal award has been notified, to the co-basin States by the Project Authority and that he has already instructed the CWC to send a copy of the PFR/DPR to Resident Commissioner of party States in New Delhi.
The letter adds, “you may also recall the discussions held on 6.3.2020 in respect of the Mahadayi River Water Dispute, and as discussed in the meeting, taking into account the concerns raised by you regarding issue of salinity in Mahadayi River, this Ministry has assigned National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee to take up the study of salinity of river Mahadayi and submit a report to this Ministry.
