PORVORIM: The State government has said it would be filing a Special Leave Petition (SLP) before the Supreme Court on Friday challenging the Mhadei Inter State Water Dispute Tribunal award over the sharing of water from the river basin to Karnataka.
Conceding that Karnataka is diverting more than the amount of water permitted by the Tribunal, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant told the Goa Legislative Assembly that the government has taken the matter seriously.
“We are filing the SLP in the Supreme Court on Friday. Karantaka is diverting (water from the Mhadei river basin) more than the permitted limit,” he said, replying to the motion of thanks to Goa Governor Mridula Sinha’s January address to the House.
“Soon after the Tribunal’s order in August 2018, we had filed a disobedience petition followed by a contempt petition in May 2019. When Karnataka filed a SLP (before the SC against the 13.42 tmcft of water from Mhadei), we filed a counter affidavit without any delay. We are now filing the SLP in the SC,” he said, clearly indicating that government will fight to ensure justice to Goa on the issue.
Replying to Congress MLA Luizinho Faleiro’s concern over the encroachment of River Sal banks, the CM said he will direct the authorities to crackdown on the illegal structures while also alleging that some locals residing along the stretch discharge sewage into the river.
“Goans are only building (the structures along the river bank). We will take action against the illegal structures,” he assured. “We should take responsibility to keep the rivers clean. Protecting rivers is important and we need cooperation from the people,” he added.
