Team Herald
PORVORIM: WRD Minister Vinod Palyekar told the State Legislative Assembly on Wednesday that Karnataka had diverted the water of Mhadei River by constructing conduits to Malaprabha basin, which is violation of order of Water Dispute Tribunal.
Minister informed House that a contempt application against Karnataka would be filed in next two days before the tribunal and other legal and remedial recourses will be resorted to on legal advice.
Palyekar was responding to the Calling Attention motion moved by Congress legislator Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco and BJP MLA Rajesh Patnekar on the diversion of Mhadei River water by Karnataka government, which has impacted the flow of water downstream.
“After reading reports on dailies (newspapers), two teams of Water Resources Department of Goa visited the site of Kalsa diversion. From the visit it is seen that waters from the part of the catchment of the nullah gets diverted through the conduit. The rear end of the conduit was checked and it was observed that water was flowing through two of the three conduits showing that waters from the part of Kalsa basin is being diverted to Malaprabha basin,” Palyekar said.
The minister pointed out that Tribunal in two separate orders in October 2012 and April 2014, had ordered Karnataka not to divert any water from Kalsa Bandura to Malaprabha till the award was declared.
“Tribunal had then ordered that the two conduits be blocked at chinages 990 mts and 1530 mts respectively and also constituted a team of superintending engineers of all the three States to oversee the construction,” he said.
Referring to the past incidents related to Mhadei water issue, Palyekar said that Karnataka over last 38 years or so has been making efforts to divert the river water on one pretext or the other. “Government of Goa has opposed all the proposals of Karnataka at every level and forum. We will continue to oppose it in the interest of the State,” he said.
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said Karnataka has systematically carried out the diversion and also completed the work.
“We assure the House that the interest of Goa will be protected. All the necessary steps will be taken,” he said.
Earlier speaking while moving the motion, Lourenco said the diversion has impacted the flow of water in the Mandovi River and also many water bodies including Barazan and Ladkem.
“I want to know, despite tribunal order, how is that government not initiating contempt proceeding against Karnataka. Government needs to understand the seriousness of the issue,” he said.
BJP MLA Patnekar brought to the notice of the House that as many as hundred villages will be affected with the diversion.
“The order of tribunal is due next month. Before that we need to bring to its notice the illegal act of Karnataka. I want to know, when the matter is sub-judice, how Karnataka completed the canal work. Was it not contempt of tribunal and if so, why Goa government failed to act,” he questioned.
Senior Congress MLA Pratapsingh Rane also urged government to understand the seriousness of the matter and take action.
Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo triggered a debate, when he said that MLAs present here are not very much concerned about the issue. He recalled how only four MLAs attended the Mhadei visit organized by the Speaker earlier this year.
This did not go down well with the ruling benches, who said that they were not even informed.
Union Ministry of Water Resources on April 30, 2002 had in principle given clearance to divert 7.56 TMC of water from Kalasa-Banduri project to Hubli-Dharwad for drinking purpose.
