PANJIM: As announced on Monday, Goa on Tuesday filed a contempt petition against Karnataka over the Mhadei water diversion.
Advocate General Devidas Pangam told Herald that Karnataka has illegally diverted water in contempt of Supreme Court guidelines. “The Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal order has already been notified and hence this is direct contempt of the Supreme Court order,” Pangam said. He added that Karnataka has diverted water without any permission from any departments.
Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant announced the development Tuesday morning on his social media handles stating, “Contempt petition has been filed in the Supreme Court today against Karnataka for illegal diversion of Mhadei water. We will continue to fight for our right.”
The contempt petition, he said, is in addition to an earlier petition filed in the Apex court in August 2018, when Karnataka had engaged in ‘similar mischief’.
“I have rigorously followed this matter with the Central Government. I have met the Jal Shakti Minister, Minister of MoEF&CC and have also written letters to the Central ministry. At our request and consistent follow up, the Jal Shakti Ministry has appointed National Institute of Hydrology to study and assess the salinity in Mhadei basin. This will help the State in its cause,” Sawant said.
On Monday, addressing the media on the issue of Mhadei, the Chief Minister had said that the government would never compromise with Karnataka on Mhadei.
He had blamed Congress for the diversion by Karnataka as the party had allowed that State in 2006 saying it had no objection.
