PANJIM: Raising apprehensions over the proposed setting-up of an Inter-State River Water Dispute tribunal for the entire country, the State government has approached the Centre with a request to ‘exclude’ the Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT), involving Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra on the water diversion issue, from the proposal. The proposal seeks to dissolve the MWDT.
Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Tuesday told the State Legislative Assembly that he will be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi next week to apprise him of the problem the State will face owing to the amendment to the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956. “It is a very serious issue and considering that Goa is approaching near justice on the water sharing dispute, it is necessary to exclude this case from the amendment,” he said.
“If our request is not considered, then we will take all-party delegation with our demand,” Parsekar said adding, “let us not restore to pressure tactics, like Karnataka, at this stage”.
The Chief Minister was replying to a calling attention motion moved by Leader of the Opposition Pratapsingh Rane, who informed the House of the Central government’s intention to set up a common water dispute tribunal for the entire country thereby dissolving the Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal. “This move of the Centre will hamper our case. Our case has progressed very well and at this stage we cannot allow Centre to take over,” he said.
The House was unanimous in urging the government that it should put up a strong case before the Centre refusing to accept the proposal.
Replying to the same, Minister for Water Resources Dayanand Mandrekar said the State has already made its submission before the Centre to exclude Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal from the amendment. “Mhadei river is a lifeline of the State and government will take all necessary action to protect interests of the State,” he said.
The Minister informed the House that on January 13, the State received a letter from Additional Secretary NITI Ayog asking for comments on the amendments that the Union Ministry for Water Resources intends to make to inter-state river water disputes Act, 1956 so as to have consultative process with all the States, Union Territories and other concerned stakeholders.
“As per the amendment, Centre proposes that with effect from setting up of Inter-State River Water Disputes Tribunal, all the existing tribunals shall stand dissolved and the water disputes pending adjudication before such existing tribunals shall stand transferred,” he said.
Participating in the discussion, Deputy Speaker Vishnu Wagh demanded that the government should lead an all-party delegation to the Centre pressing for its demand to exclude MWDT from the amendment.
The demand was accepted by the Minister, who assured House to do so after the Budget session. However, the Chief Minister intervened and requested that the delegation proposal be kept on hold as he will be meeting Prime Minister, next week.
