PANJIM: Days after the notification of the Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal (MWDT) award, the Supreme Court said that Karnataka will have to present a detailed DPR and obtain all necessary permissions before they go ahead with any construction activity on the Kalsa-Bhandura water diversion project.
Hearing Goa’s miscellaneous application pleading for a stay on construction activity till the final award is given by MWDT, the Supreme Court clarified that the interim order dated April 17, 2014 continues to be in operation, Advocate General Devidas Pangam informed Herald. “Our main application will come up in July and we expect modification of the award,” Pangam stated.
Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant took to social media to announce that Karnataka has been restricted from carrying out construction activity. “No work can be started by Karnataka in implementation of the award without all permissions from central government and without preparing DPR, the Supreme Court has clarified,” Sawant said.
The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) further said that the Supreme Court has observed that the interim order dated April 17, 2014 of the Mhadei Tribunal is in force and therefore Karnataka cannot carry out any work without complying with the conditions mentioned in the award dated October 18, 2018.
“With this clarification the Supreme Court has said that the apprehension of Goa Government on the basis of newspaper reports that Karnataka will carry out work does not survive and so the application of Goa Government is not required,” the CMO stated.
The CMO further said that with this clarification of the Supreme Court, the apprehension of people of Goa, that Karnataka will carry out construction or diversion of water, is taken care of.
“Therefore, the interest of the people of Goa and Mhadei is protected. We will therefore have to wait for the final verdict of the Supreme Court in August 2020 and for the decision of Mhadei Tribunal in application for clarification/modification. In case, Karnataka attempts to carry out illegal construction or diversion of water, the Government of Goa shall file contempt petition before the Supreme Court of India,” the CMO note says.
Opposition parties in Goa slammed the BJP government for failing to protect the State’s interests over the river Mhadei against the backdrop of the Supreme Court ruling.
