PANJIM: Two months after issuing the controversial environmental approval to Karnataka for the Kalsa Bhandura water diversion project, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on Wednesday decided to keep the approval in abeyance until the cases are decided by the Supreme Court and Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who is in Delhi for the GST Council meeting, met MoEF&CC Minister Prakash Javdekar, who handed over the letter.
Sawant immediately took to social media to post the letter as his government had been at the receiving end over the approval for the project to Karnataka.
The letter to Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited, Dharwad, states, “This is with reference to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change dated
October 17, 2019 on the Kalsa Bhandura drinking water supply scheme. Based on facts made available subsequently to the ministry, it is observed that application for clarification of the award of the Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal (MWDT) dated 14/08/2019 filed by the Government of Goa and Karnataka is still pending.”
Further, it continues, “The award has also been challenged by the State of Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra before the honourable Supreme Court in SLPC No – 19312/2019 filed by the State of Goa, the honourable Supreme Court has issued notice to the State of Karnataka. Pending resolution to all these cases relating to the matter, the letter issued earlier by this ministry is hereby kept in abeyance.”
The letter has been issued by Mohit Saxena, Deputy Director/ Scientist “C”, MoEF&CC.
