PANJIM: The three-member team of superintending engineers of Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra will hold a joint inspection of the Kalsa-Bhanduri water diversion project along River Mhadei basin on Friday.
The three officers nominated by the States are superintending engineer M K Prasad (Goa), Krishnanji Rao (Karnataka) and Vijay Kumar Thorat (Maharashtra).
The team will ascertain whether Mhadei river water has been diverted by Karnataka to the Malaprabha basin.
On February 22, the Supreme Court had directed officials of Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra to hold a joint inspection of the Kalsa water diversion project and to submit the report to the Court within four weeks.
When contacted, Water Resources Chief Engineer S D Patil said that a joint inspection will be carried out by Superintendent Engineers of the three States as per the Supreme Court’s directives at 11.30am on Friday. Hidkal Dam superintending engineer has been appointed as the nodal officer.
“The team will visit the site on Friday and after inspection the report will be submitted to the Supreme Court before April 5,” Patil said, adding, “All eyes are now on the inspection.”
On February 22, the top court bench comprising Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice M R Shah while hearing Goa’s contempt petition against Karnataka for diverting Mhadei water, had directed the constitution of a committee of superintending engineers of three States to hold a joint inspection and to submit the report to the court within next four weeks.
During the hearing, Goa’s senior counsel P S Narasimha had brought to the notice of the Court that Karnataka had committed breach of the Mhadei Tribunal’s order and produced photographs taken by WRD officials to show how Karnataka was taking Mhadei water in the reverse direction. Goa had strongly opposed diversion of water outside the Mhadei basin.
The Supreme Court had also stated that the interim order of the Mhadei Tribunal delivered in April 2014 was in force till all required permission from all authorities were approved by the Government of India or Mhadei Authority.
The three States in separate petitions have also challenged the Mhadei Waster Disputes Tribunal’s verdict dated August 14, 2018, regarding allocation of water.
