PANJIM: The Mhadei water disputes with Karnataka did not make much headway even as Goa continued a legal battle with its neighbouring State.
O Heraldo reported how the tussle between Goa and Karnataka was not just for river water and the fight went beyond this.
While, the discussion on Goa’s rights over Mhadei waters vis-à-vis Karnataka continued to rage and there was much likelihood that it will continue to go on, one aspect of the issue was that if diversion of Mhadei and its tributaries happened, it would have a very severe impact on Goa’s ecology, that included the land and marine life, the hydrology, amongst others.
Putting matters in perspective, the Inter-State Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal in its August 2018 Award, allocated a total of 3.9 tmc feet of water to Karnataka for diversion from Mahadayi (Mhadei) basin to the Malaprabha basin.
Dissatisfied with the Tribunal verdict, three riparian States – Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra governments have challenged the award before the Supreme Court, which has asked all parties to keep the Tribunal Award in abeyance and that no construction be allowed till it hears the petitions.
As per the Tribunal Award, the bifurcation of this allotment would have been 2.18 tmc from Bhandura and 1.72 tmc from Kalasa, Haltara and Surla.
This allotment was granted due to Karnataka’s claim that the diversion into the Malaprabha Dam is for drinking water requirements of twin cities Hubbali and Dharwad and surrounding areas of Malaprabha basin.
