Panjim: To bolster its position in the ongoing Mhadei river diversion case, the Goa government will be presenting crucial findings from the 14-member Study Group’s examination of Karnataka’s revised Detailed Project Report (DPR), to the Supreme Court. The DPR was officially approved by the Central Water Commission (CWC), in December 2022.
Water Resources Minister (WRD) Subhash Shirodkar, emphasised that the study group’s findings would fortify Goa’s position in the Supreme Court. Shirodkar explained that amendments or additional affidavits incorporating these findings would be submitted, highlighting the expertise of individuals from the environmental field involved in the study.
Shirodkar added that he expects that the Apex Court will be informed about these developments during the upcoming hearings.
It may be recalled that the study group, led by WRD Chief Engineer, which scrutinised the modified DPRs for the Kalasa-Bhandura Nala diversion scheme, had submitted its report last November.
The study group had deemed that the Kalasa-Bhandura Nala diversion scheme for redirecting water from Mhadei’s tributaries to supplement the Malaprabha Reservoir for drinking water purpose was actually misleading, legally questionable, and lacking merit according to the study.
The group asserted that CWC’s technical approval overlooked vital concerns related to environmental, ecological, and human impact resulting from the proposed diversion scheme.
The study group further criticised Karnataka for neglecting to develop a comprehensive master plan, as directed by the Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal (MWDT), when revising the DPRs. Furthermore, the group contended that CWC’s evaluation of Karnataka’s DPRs for non-irrigation purposes contradicts the MWDT’s pertinent observations.
The study found that Karnataka’s DPR is destructive to the environment of Goa.
