SC says it again: Karnataka can’t carry out Mhadei construction work without environmental clearances

Team Herald

PANJIM: The Supreme Court on Monday upheld its earlier order of March 2, 2020, restraining Karnataka from undertaking construction work of its proposed Kalasa-Bandura water diversion project without obtaining all the statutory permissions.

While hearing the Interlocutory Application (IA) filed by the State government, Karnataka senior counsel Adv Shyam Divan made a statement that no construction has commenced at the Kalasa and Bandura site and that the same will not be undertaken unless the requisite statutory permissions such as forest and Environmental Clearances (ECs) are obtained including that of the Goa Chief Wildlife Warden.

“This order is one more step towards safeguarding Goa’s interest and protecting our Mhadei,” Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant tweeted, and added, “The Supreme Court has reiterated that the directions in the award of the Mhadei Tribunal to obtain all statutory permissions remain in force.”

The matter is now fixed for final hearing in July this year.

Updating on the hearing, Advocate General Devidas Pangam from Delhi, said that the Apex Court has upheld its interim order dated March 2, 2020 and the directions of the Inter-State Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal ordering the Karnataka State to obtain all statutory permissions before carrying out any construction, is still in force.

During the hearing, Goa senior counsel Darius Khambata informed Court that Karnataka is yet to furnish them a copy of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and the approval granted by the Central Water Commission (CWC).

Karnataka counsel Adv Divan assured the Court that it will upload DPR along with the copy of CWC approval and furnish copies to the Goa government within the next 10 days.

Karnataka also sought three weeks’ time to file its reply to Goa’s Interlocutory Application.

Pagam said, “According to me, this is the best order we can get. Now it is in the hands of our own chief Wildlife Warden to take a decision on the project.”

Adv Pangam said that Goa has been granted liberty to approach the Supreme Court in case Karnataka takes up construction activities to divert the Mhadei river water.

The Goa government had vehemently opposed the approval granted by the CWC to Karnataka’s DPR, in December last year.