l Files fresh submission to Mhadei tribunal seeking to nullify the Rane govt’s surrender on key points on water diversion l Reclaims its right to argue why Karnataka can’t use water from locally available resources to meet water needs and spare Mhadei water for Goa
SUJAY GUPTA
PANJIM: Reeling under the double surrender of the Rane government to Maharashtra and Karnataka, by giving up Goa’s position on its share of the Mhadei waters (Herald June 6, 2014 edition), Goa has made a fresh application before the Mhadei River Water Dispute Tribunal (MRWD) on Thursday in a bid to reclaim ground on two crucial aspects, seized by Karnataka.
According to government sources and on the basis of fresh documents accessed by Herald, Goa has sought to nullify the Pratapsingh Rane government’s move to give up the following:
a) Goa’s right to adjudicate whether Karnataka could meet its water requirements from locally available water resources (para 28 iv of Goa’s letter of 9.7.2002 seeking the constitution of a tribunal) and
b) Argue with Karnataka on whether there were no other sources of water within the Mhadei basin like Kali, Bhedti and Ghataprabha. (para 28 v of the same letter)
As reported, since these two points were wished away by Secretary Water Resources in the Rane government Raajiv Yaduvanshi vide his letter dated 10/1/2007, Goa lost its main grounds by which it could prevent Karnataka to divert Mhadei water out of the basin to Hubli and Dharwad, to the severe detriment of Goa.
Goa though, isn’t quite giving up. In a fresh pitch to the tribunal Goa has made the following points seeking to score out Raajiv Yaduvanshi’s letter. The fresh submission states, “It has to be clarified that the Goa government did not agree to deletion of its demands in para 28(iv and v) for reference to this tribunal because of any reasons alleged by Karnataka. Goa government had to agree to this deletion due to legal constraints”.
Goa has argued on two points
1) Since Hubli and Dharwad are located in the Krishna Basin, all arguments over the availability of water and its needs are before the Krishna Waters disputes tribunal and hence wouldn’t be possible for the Mhadei River Water Dispute Tribunal to adjudicate
2) It has counter argued that if it is Karnataka’s contention that Goa cannot argue on the point of Karnataka having local water sources to draw water (and therefore doesn’t need to divert Mhadei water), “then it would be Goa’s contention that Karnataka is stopped from arguing about the water supply needs of Hubli Dharwad as they are located in the Krishna basin and these needs are under adjudication before the Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal”
It is clear that a way out has been attempted to get out of a very tricky legal situation created by a complete non application of mind by the Rane government, because the only hope of preventing diversion of Mhadei waters rested in Goa successfully arguing that Karnataka’s local water needs are met by rivers exclusively in its own state.
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar admitted that the battle wasn’t easy. He told Herald “Yes, Herald is correct in saying that the Rane government surrendered Goa’s rights. Perhaps his personal interests were more important than Goa’s interests. It is because of this that Karnataka has been able to manipulate the issue and divert water away from Goa”.
Mr Parrikar agreed that the legal battle would be tough “We have moved a fresh submission to the Tribunal to offset the damage done by the Rane government but it won’t be easy, since Goa had clearly given up its position and therefore becomes tough now”.
Rane govt did surrender Goa’s rights
Herald is correct in saying that the Rane government surrendered Goa’s rights. Perhaps his personal interests were more important than Goa’s interests. It is because of this that Karnataka has been able to manipulate the issue and divert Mhadei water away from Goa. It will be tough to offset the damage done by the earlier Goa government
— CM Manohar Parrikar
