Says NOC was given to Karnataka
TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: In a startling revelation, hours after Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal directed Karnataka to stop diversion of water from Mhadei basin, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar alleged that the previous Congress government in 2009 had given NOC to Karnataka for diversion of water to Malprabha basin.
“In 2009, Digamber Kamat led government gave no objection certificate to Karnataka government for diversion of water from Mhadei for drinking. The NOC was revoked by me soon after coming to power,” Parrikar told media persons on Thursday evening.
Parrikar said that the tribunal order is based on the arguments raised by Goa government, which was accepted by the court. He said that counsel for Karnataka, Fali Nariman had only one argument to put that from 2006, when the work of diversion begun till June 2012, Goa government raised no objection to the diversion.
“This clearly shows how lethargic the Congress government was to act on the Mhadei issue,” the Chief Minister said.
Earlier this month, Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni, in his arguments had said that that without obtaining mandatory clearances, either from the Ministry of Environment and Forests or from the Central Water Resource Department, Karnataka has undertaken work of excavation and construction of canals, channels for diverting water of Kalsa, one of the tributaries of the Mhadei to the Malprabha river at Kankumbi. He had termed all the activities as illegal.
Karnataka government in 2006 started constructing a canal at Kalsa-Bhandura to divert Haltar rivulet of Mhadei River to Malprabha River in Kankumbi, the work of which is partly complete.
