PANAJI
The Goa government was left red-faced after PRAWAH “ Progressive River Authority for Welfare and Harmony “ in its report failed to note the violations of Karnataka government over Mhadei river diversion. In fact, the PRAWAH team did not even visit the prime violation site “ Kankumbi during its site inspection, held last month.
More so, PRAWAH team in its report said that their visit was only for familiarisation of the river basin in the three riparian States thus indirectly declining that it was a site inspection.
Following the request from the Goa government, who hoped the site inspection would expose Karnataka, PRAWAH team visited the Mhadei basin areas in Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra, last month. The outgoing chairman PM Scott in its report has given a complete skip to Karnataka’s violation “ a major cause of concern for Goa ahead of scheduled hearing before the Supreme Court this month.
Sources informed that Scott, in its report presented last week, has mentioned that their visit to Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra was merely for “familiarisation of the river basin in the three States.” “The report did not mention that it was a site inspection to ascertain any violations but speaks about familiarisation of the basin,” sources said.
When contacted, environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar said that despite a request from Goa government to visit Kankumbi, the PRAWAH team did not inspect the site, after Karnataka officials claimed a feasibility issue. “Due to heavy rains, Karnataka officials said that it is not possible to visit the site and the same was accepted by PRAWAH. Kankumbi is the prime violation site. It is at this site, where Karnataka has diverted Mhadei river flow, entering into Goa, in Malaprabha basin,” he explained.
Kerkar pointed out that while Central Water Commission approved Karnataka’s DPR for Kalasa-Bhandura drinking water project without any requisite permissions, PRAWAH accepted Karnataka’s plea against Maharashtra’s Virdi project that unless the State gets techno-economic approval from the CWC, their DPR cannot be discussed by the Authority.
Meanwhile, the petitions filed by Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra challenging Mhadei Tribunal Award and Goa’s contempt plea are slated for hearing before the Supreme Court this month. The matter, initially listed for hearing last week, was postponed further.
