The Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal has turned the tables on Goa. Following arguments by Fali Nariman, who is representing Karnataka, the tribunal asked State advocate Atmaram Nadkarni why 7 TMC of water should not be diverted from the Mhadei to Karnataka. This question came after Nariman stated that of the 108 TMC of water in the river, Goa’s need was 9.335 TMC, which leaves enough for sharing with Karnataka. The crucial hearing for Goa will now be held on Monday when it will have to make a case against diversion of water.
Goa’s case has rested on issues other than quantum of water in the Mhadei and that is why it avoided all meetings where this subject was discussed. For over 15 years it avoided conducting a study of its own and when forced to do so, relied on IIT professor V Jyothiprakash who has now withdrawn as a witness. Goa has always maintained that the issue was not about water sharing, but about ecological damage. It claimed that if Karnataka had to change its cropping pattern there would be enough water in the Malaprabha reservoir for domestic use in Hubli and Dharwar. It also stated that diversion of water would increase salinity in the river which would threaten fishing, agriculture and river navigation. Lastly, it said the ecology would suffer irreversible damage if flow in the Mhadei was reduced. The problem with Goa’s stand is that it is not backed by data. Nowhere in its arguments does Goa state its current needs. Instead, it has used the projected requirement for 2051 to explain that the water in the river was not enough.
Hearings in the case are still underway, but the immediate stress point for Goa is an intervention application made by Karnataka for diversion of 7 TMC as a temporary solution. And the question posed to Goa by the Tribunal is, why not?
This is worrisome for Goa. If the tribunal allows diversion, Goa's entire case will collapse even before the hearings end. On the other hand, it has to put together a convincing argument against diversion. It is going to be very difficult to show why 90 TMC (quantum of water after taking into account the requirements of Karnataka and Goa) should flow down the Mhadei and into the sea without being harnessed. Goa does not have studies to show how a reduction in flow will affect salinity or the ecology and its star witness who was supposed to show that the basin is water deficit has withdrawn.
Goa faces a tough task and it will have to convincingly prove that Karnataka does not need the water at this point of time. And hopefully, the abundant rains in Karnataka might come to Goa’s rescue.
