State to seek interim stay on Mhadei tribunal award

Team Herald

PANJIM: With pressure mounting on the vexed Mhadei river water diversion issue, the Goa government has decided to plead before the Supreme Court for an interim stay on the Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal (MWDT) award allocating water to Karnataka and Maharashtra.

The Supreme Court will on January 31, hear the special leave petition (SLP) filed by the State against the Tribunal award.

Speaking to media persons on Friday, Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant said the government will write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention in the matter, following a series of communications between the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and Karnataka, giving a green nod to the Kalasa-Bhanduri project. 

Sawant also said that if required the State would not mind going against the Union Ministry over the Mhadei river issue, in a bid to protect the State’s interests.

“Unless the matter is decided by the Supreme Court, the Tribunal Award cannot be notified,” Sawant said.

However, when brought to the notice that the Court is yet to grant any stay on the Tribunal Award, the Chief Minister said, “Advocate General is pressing for an interim stay on the Award. We have made a strong case before the Supreme Court and are confident of getting justice.”

The Chief Minister said that his government has assured the people that there would not be any compromise on the Mhadei issue and he will write to the Prime Minister seeking his intervention. “I would like to categorically state that Goans need not worry. If required, we will also go against the Union Ministry,” he said. 

Sawant said that instructions have been issued to the Water Resources Department (WRD) to fast-track the work of construction of seven dams for use of Mhadei water.

Referring to the statement by Leader of the Opposition Digambar Kamat, insisting that a one-day Assembly session on the issue be convened, Sawant said, “Those who allowed the water to be diverted, have no moral grounds to tell the government how to act on the issue.”

Sawant said that during Kamat’s tenure as chief minister (2007-2012), Karnataka managed to divert Mhadei River water, while he did nothing to stop them. “People, who were responsible for diversion of Mhadei River should not talk now,” he stated.