PANJIM: The Mhadei Bachao Abhiyan (MBA) has slammed the State government for failing to press for an interim order from the Supreme Court restraining Karnataka from undertaking any construction work for its proposed Kalasa-Bhandura drinking water project across River Mhadei, till the special leave petition is heard and decided.
The MBA also questioned the government’s failure to pray for early hearing in the Contempt Petition filed against Karnataka in 2018 and in 2020 and in the Interlocutory Application filed in January this year.
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The Supreme Court had on Monday admitted a Special leave Petition (SLP) filed by Goa challenging the decision of the Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal (MWDT) granting Karnataka 13.42 tmc (thousand million cubic feet) of water for its Kalasa-Bhandura project. The State had challenged the Tribunal Award in July 2019. The matter will now be heard in November.
“There is nothing to celebrate or appreciate about. SLP is just admitted without any interim relief. This is just time buying tactics. State should have pressed for interim relief to stop Karnataka from going ahead with any work till the matter is heard and decided. But that has not happened,” MBA convener Nirmala Sawant said.
“State also did not press for early hearing in the contempt plea or Interlocutory application. This clearly shows State seriousness towards the case,” she added.
The State had in 2018 and again in 2020 filed contempt petitions against Karnataka for illegal diversion of Mhadei river water to Malaprabha basin.
In January, this year, the government had filed IA seeking to restrain Karnataka from going ahead with construction work by diverting Mhadei water following Central Water Commission’s (CWC) approval to Karnataka’s DPR.
Pointing out Court directives to place on record Chief Wildlife Warden, Sawant questioned why the order, passed on March 29, not made public or brought to the Court notice earlier.
Speaking on Tiger Reserve issue, Sawant said that State acceptance to notify a Tiger Reserve would have supported Mhadei case. “With all its action, government is only strengthening case for water diversion,” she said.
She said that while Karnataka highlighted drought situation, our State failed to prove that Goa is also water deficit State and six talukas are dependent on the river for potable water. “For KA it is not about farmers or potable water, it is all about providing water to steel companies,” she said.
