PANJIM: The Supreme Court appointed Mhadei Water Tribunal members reached the State and are scheduled to begin their work. The 25 member team will study the impact of the planned diversion by Karnataka of water from the Mhadei basin to the Malaprabha basin. Karnataka began this work in 2006.
The team will visit Mormugao Port Trust, Virdhi and Anjunem dams, Opa plant, Mhadei basin and Cumbarjua canal and check the Mhadei river and its impact if there is a shortfall in its flow on agriculture as of now and also in case the work is allowed to be completed and present these facts before the tribunal.
The Union Ministry of Water Resources notified the Mhadei Water Dispute Act 1956 and referred the matter to the tribunal after the Goa government approached the Supreme Court.
Though the Mhadei river known as the Mandovi begins in Karnataka, 56 km of its 77 km lie in Goa. The river is the life blood of the State with its water used for irrigation and also for transportation. About 1,580 square kms of its catchment area lies in Goa, while 2032 sq km of the river’s catchment area lie in Karnataka.
