PANJIM: The joint monitoring committee constituted as per the directives of the Supreme Court to inspect the site of Kalasa-Bhanduri project will meet again on Tuesday to finalise the report to be submitted in the apex court.
The three-member team comprising superintendent engineers M K Prasad (Goa), Krishnaji Rao (Karnataka) and Vijay Kumar Thorat (Maharashtra) on Friday inspected three sites at Kankumbhi, Karnataka to ascertain where there was diversion of Mhadei water into the Malaprabha basin by the Karnataka government.
After inspection, the team met at the Inspection Bungalow at Kankumbhi to prepare the report but the work could not be completed due to paucity of time and it was decided to meet again on March 23.
Water Resources Chief Engineer Shrikant Patil said that the joint inspection committee will meet again on Tuesday to finalise the report which has to be submitted to the Supreme Court by April 5.
“The joint inspection team could not complete the report on Friday and our team returned to Goa at 2am on Saturday. They have taken time till Tuesday to prepare the report,” Patil said, adding that the venue of meeting is yet to be finalised.
On February 22, while hearing a contempt petition filed by the Goa government, the Supreme Court bench comprising Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice M R Shah allowed inspection of the Kalasa project to ascertain whether there was any diversion of Mhadei water into the Malaprabha basin and to submit the report within four weeks.
Goa has opposed diversion of Mhadei water stating that River Mhadei is the lifeline of the State and any diversion will dry the river and affect the State’s ecology and environment.
On August 14, 2018, the Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal had allocated Goa 24 tmc feet, Karnataka 13.42 tmc feet and Maharashtra 1.3 tmc feet water in its final verdict. However, the three States have challenged the verdict through separate petitions.
