PANJIM: The State government under scathing criticism from the Opposition parties over the Mhadei water dispute has played down fears that the State has lost its lifeline to Karnataka.
While preparing a watertight case to restrain Karnataka from carrying out construction or any activity on the Mhadei, the State has emphasised the importance of the river for six water treatment plants, including the Salaulim Dam.
As against Karnataka’s claim that 188 TMC is the yield of Mhadei, Goa refers to 113.5 TMC, as the remaining water is saline.
“All the water cannot be used because it is saline. Actually 113.5 is the total yield of Mhadei and the remaining is saline. We need Mhadei for six water treatment plants else it will run dry,” sources in the government said.
Karnataka, in it submissions before the judiciary over the matter, also agreed in principle that some water of the Mhadei is saline.
In the Budget session of the Legislative Assembly, Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant had accused Karnataka of misleading the Centre on the Mhadei.
“Karnataka had told the Ministry of Environment and Forests that Mhadei water is flowing downstream into Mandovi River. I have explained to the MoEF that water is not going waste and we are using it for lift irrigation and drinking purpose,” he had mentioned in the House.
In its Special Leave Petition challenging the Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT) order, the State submitted that the total yield calculated by the Tribunal of 188.06 at 75 per cent dependability is overestimated. Dr Sawant, in an informal media interaction on Saturday, said that diversion of 3.9 TMC water from Mhadei basin to Malaprabha basin was never consented by Goa.
“It is against the established practice that inter-basin diversion can be done only with concurrence of all party States. Mhadei basin is a water deficit basin as per the Mandovi Master Plan 1999 prepared by panel of experts as the projected requirements are more,” he said.
As Goa gears up to put up a strong case against Karnataka’s ongoing activity before the Supreme Court on Monday, the Chief Minister said, they have prayed for restraining the neighbouring State from carrying out construction at the site, Karnataka government should not approach any authority and/or Centre for permission for the activity and direct a joint inspection by Chief Engineer (CWC) or by assessor of Tribunal to ascertain ground realities.
“On February 20, the Interlocutory Application of Karnataka for directing Union of India to publish award/report of the MWDT dated August 14, 2018 was allowed subject to the result of the pending proceedings. However, the publication of the award by the Union government is a technical formality and does not entitle the State of Karnataka or Maharashtra to carry out constructions or divert any water. The interim order of the Tribunal dated April 17, 2014 and February 11, 2015 restraining Karnataka and Maharashtra from carrying out diversion of any quantum of water or construction, continues even as the present order of the Supreme Court is passed,” the Chief Minister explained asking the people not to panic.
While an urgent hearing into Interlocutory Application filed by Goa government will be heard on March 2, all Special Leave Petitions are kept for final hearing on July 15, 16 and 22, 2020.
Dr Sawant conceded that Karnataka has been carrying out illegal activity on the Mhadei despite petitions and contempt petitions filed against the State.
“Karnataka’s plea that they need Mhadei for drinking water is totally false. If that is the case then why did they say it was ‘farmers victory’ after the notification of the Centre? In guise of drinking water, they want to use it for irrigation,” the Chief Minister said, stating that Goa has challenged the water usage by the neighbouring southern State outside the Mhadei basin.
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CASE CHRONOLOGY
2002: Karnataka plans diversion of 7.56 TMC of water from Mhadei
APRIL 30, 2002: Ministry of Water Resources unilaterally accords ‘in-principle’ water availability clearance of 7.56 TMC to Karnataka
JULY 3, 2002: Then Chief Minister of Goa along with cabinet colleagues calls on then Prime Minister and informs gravity of the situation and protest the ‘hasty clearance’; Seeks Prime Minister’s intervention to redress the injustice
JULY 9, 2002: Goa requests the withdrawal of ‘in principle’ clearance and formation of Tribunal under Section 3 of the Inter State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 to the Union Ministry of Water Resources
SEPTEMBER 19, 2002: Union Ministry keeps in abeyance the ‘in-principle’ clearance
SEPTEMBER 15, 2006: Goa files suit as newspapers report that Karnataka is going ahead with Kalasa diversion work
APRIL 30, 2008: Karnataka gives an undertaking to Supreme Court that it would not divert or utilise the water of Kalasa-Bhandura project till the next date of hearing. The undertaking continues during the hearing in the Tribunal in 2012
NOVEMBER 16, 2010: Centre, on directions of Supreme Court, constitutes Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal
FEBRUARY 14, 2012: Goa files Interlocutory Application in Supreme Court as hearings of Tribunal had not commenced due to want of accommodation and other infrastructure, and despite formation of Tribunal, Karnataka was going ahead with construction at Kalasa
SEPTEMBER 6, 2012: Matter refers to tribunal by Supreme Court and first hearing of Tribunal held
OCTOBER 16, 2012: Undertaking on non-diversion of Kalasa-Bhandura water given by Karnataka, continues
FROM DECEMBER 12, 2013 to DECEMBER 24, 2013: Tribunal team along with technical and legal officials of all three States visit the basin area of Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra
APRIL 17, 2014: Tribunal passes order for sealing Kalasa nallah-Malaprabha River interconnecting channel at two places by a brick wall, the work of which was monitored by Superintending Engineers of the three basin States, who submitted the final report to Tribunal in the first week of June 2014 after completion of the work on May 31, 2014. Karnataka directed to not utilise or divert water of Kalasa-Bhanduri project till the matter is finally adjudicated by Tribunal
MAY 6, 2015: In Interlocutory Application of 2014, Maharashtra directs to not fill gorge portion of Katika nallah at Virdi and not to diver any water from Mhadei basin till matter is finally adjudicated by Tribunal
FROM 2012-2018: 112 hearings conducted by Tribunal. Last hearing was on February 21, 2018
AUGUST 12, 2018: Tribunal submits report to Government of India comprising of 2711 pages in 12 volumes; Goa challenges the report of the Tribunal through a Special Leave Petition
AUGUST 8, 2018: Goa files contempt petition in Supreme Court against Karnataka, even before Tribunal submits its award/report to the Union government, as Karnataka had diverted Mhadei basin water from Kala nallah to Malaprabha basin despite Supreme Court order and Tribunal directing Karnataka to refrain from doing so
AUGUST 20, 2018: Goa files Disobedience Petition in Tribunal against Karnataka as the latter diverted Mhadei basin water from Kalasa nallah to Malaprabha basin
MAY 9, 2019: Matter comes up for hearing but adjourned on joint request from three party States till disposal of the contempt proceedings pending before Supreme Court
JANUARY 2020: In support of contempt petition, Interlocutory Application is filed taking into account reduction in the flow of barazan waterfall in which the request for joint inspection is made
FEBRUARY 25, 2020: Goa files Interlocutory Application of 2020 in Special Leave Petition of 2019 pending before Supreme Court wherein it prayed that Karnataka and Maharashtra be restrained from taking any steps from carrying out any activity in purported implementation of the award dated August 14, 2018 and restraining Karnataka from acting upon from obtaining clearances/approvals from central agencies/authorities/union government
