Team Herald
PANJIM: The Central government on Saturday further extended tenure of the Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal, in order to submit a report on the inter-State water dispute between Goa and Karnataka, by one year.
This is the fifth time that the Jal Shakti Ministry has extended term of the Tribunal constituted in 2010 to resolve the Mhadei water-sharing dispute between three riparian States – Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra.
The Tribunal was earlier required to submit its report and decision to the Jal Shakti Ministry on or before August 20, 2021, but it had asked for an extension of one year, back in 2021. The Tribunal has sought extensions in the past as well, which were granted vide government notification.
“In pursuance of the powers conferred by the proviso to Sub Section (3) of Section 5 of the said Act, the Central government hereby extends the period of submission of the further report by the said Tribunal for a further period of one year with effect from August 20, 2022,” reads the notification by the Centre.
Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra had demanded 36.71 TMC; 122 TMC and 6.5 TMC of water from the Mhadei River respectively.
The Goa government has already filed a contempt petition before the Supreme Court against Karnataka for diverting Mhadei waters by constructing conduits to the Malaprabha basin, in violation of the directives of the Tribunal.
The issue of Mhadei was raised in the recently concluded monsoon session of the Goa Legislative Assembly with the opposition benches demanding that with BJP ruling at the Centre besides in both the states involved, the Goa government should get the issue resolved in the State’s favour.
