PANJIM: The Goa government’s legal captain on the Mhadei disputes hearings, Atmaram Nadkarni on Wednesday said that its agreement to hold bilateral talks with Karnataka over diversion of Mhadei River water for drinking purposes would be on the condition that Karnataka forego its proposal to construct eight dams over the river, which are aimed at the trans-basin diversion of the Mhadei waters.
His comments assume immense significance since he has been the go to guy of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Mhadei ever since Goa decided to pursue its interests seriously and aggressively in the Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal.
Speaking to Herald, Adv Atmaram, (who is also Additional Solicitor General of India) who is representing Goa before the Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT), said that Parrikar’s letter to BJP Karnataka State President BS Yeddyurappa is a “non-committal letter”.
“Chief Minister in the letter has clearly said that we are prepared to sit for bilateral talks. We can talk in this regard (drinking water issue). It is a non-committal letter. He has not committed to anything,” the senior counsel said.
“The basic thing is that our pre-condition would be that Karnataka give up its eight dams, which they have proposed to construct which has been our major objection. Give up your eight dams; give up ducts which you have constructed. That will be our main condition. Then 0.1 tmc of water you can pump in. We have no objection,” Nadkarni said responding to a question on how far can Karnataka be trusted on diversion of water for drinking purpose.
The Mhadei River water-sharing dispute emanates from Karnataka’s demand to divert the waters to the Malaprabha basin, which is outside the Mhadei basin. They proposed diversion of 56 tmc of water from Mhadei River and another 7.56 tmc of water for drinking purpose for drought-prone areas of North Karnataka.
“The main contention for the fight is those eight dams. If they construct those eight dams, not a drop of water will percolate down to the riparian State of Goa. They want to construct the dams to do trans-basin diversion of the entire Mhadei River. That is the main bone of contention. Drinking water has never been the bone of contention within the basin,” Nadkarni, who has been fighting this battle before Tribunal for years now, explained.
Nadkarni countered Karnataka’s claim of drought-prone areas, stating it as a “false claim”, on grounds that the State has got around 22 rivers in Belgaum district, which are surplus.
“All the 22 rivers are water sufficient so far as Malaprabha basin is concerned. Otherwise the requirement is 0.1 tmc, which is recorded before the tribunal. We have no problem in giving 0.1 tmc of water and that we have said it in our claim statement also. This is nothing new,” he stated.
Stating that talks with Karnataka will have no impact on the case pending before the Tribunal, Nadkarni said that Parrikar’s letter on the top says without prejudice and in the letter the contents are also without prejudice to the rights and contentions of Goa’s case before the tribunal. So in the first place, the tribunal hearing has nothing to do with this letter”
Responding to the question that this government move is an out of court settlement keeping in view the 2019 elections, Nadkarni said this perception is misconceived. “Tribunal is set to hear arguments from February 6, when my arguments will begin. My arguments will go on for a month and thereafter Karnataka. Maharashtra and then I will rejoin and then the order will come by August, when the term of the tribunal ends.”
