PANJIM: Karnataka has objected to Goa’s request for joint inspection of Kalasa and Bhandura projects in Mhadei river basin stating that the matter is sub judice before the Supreme Court.
The Goa government had written to the Mhadei PRAWAH (Progressive River Authority for Welfare and Harmony) or the Mhadei Water Management Authority to include in the agenda for a joint inspection of the Kalasa nala and Bhandura nala projects of Karnataka.
But Rakesh Singh, Additional Chief Secretary to Karnataka government, Water Resources Department (WRD) raised objection for site inspection of Kalasa nala and Bhandura nala projects on the grounds that the subject matter is sub judice since the Goa government has filed a contempt petitions in 2020 in special leave petition of 2019 and 2021 before the Supreme Court and the same is pending for consideration. The Karnataka Additional Chief Secretary wrote to the Mhadei PRAWAH Secretary to delete the proposed matter and not to take it up for discussion in the first meeting of the PRAWAH, which however was postponed and yet to be rescheduled.
According to the Karnataka Additional Chief Secretary, the Supreme court vide its consent order dated February 22, 2021 had constituted a joint monitoring team comprising Superintending Engineers of three states Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra to inspect and to submit a report in regard to the alleged violation so that all the three parties and the Apex Court can have an expert assessment on whether the breaches which were plugged had again recurred.
The joint monitoring teams of three riparian States visited the Kalasa-Bhandura sites in Karnataka on March 19, 2021 and again on March 26, 2021 and submitted their separate reports to the Court, regarding damage to the plugs. These reports are pending before the Court, Singh said reiterating that the issue is sub judice and it cannot be part of any discussion.
In May last year, the Government of India notified the Mhadei PRAWAH to ‘give effect to the award of the Inter-State Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal.
