PANJIM: In a major setback to Goa, the Supreme Court on Thursday allowed the Centre to notify the final award of the Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal.
Karnataka had moved the Apex Court seeking implementation of the award dated August 14, 2018.
A bench, presided over by Justice D Y Chandrachud, allowed the application filed by the Karnataka government, after hearing counsels of all three states of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa. It is said that the States of Goa and Maharashtra did not oppose Karnataka’s application of notification of Tribunal award.
Goa has already challenged the Tribunal award in Supreme Court and so have Karnataka and Maharashtra.
The Apex court put the special leave petitions, filed by all three states against the award, for consideration in July. The hearing would be taken up on a fast track on July 15, 16 and 27.
Goa has challenged the MWDT award saying the diversion would have catastrophic effects on the wildlife and lead to paucity of drinking water.
The Karnataka government had challenged the validity of the MWDT’s decision that limited the allocation of water to 5.40 TMC to the State and allowed surplus water to flow into the sea.
Karnataka wanted early notification of the award so that it can implement it project for providing drinking water to areas of Hubballi-Dharwad and Belagavi region.
On August 14, 2018, the Tribunal’s decision also granting 1.33 TMC to Maharashtra and 33.395 TMC to Goa.
