PANAJI
As Karnataka recommences work at Kankumbi to divert the flow of monsoonal water towards the Kalasa project, in violation of the Supreme Court directions that it cannot undertake any work for Mhadei river water diversion without requisite permission, the Goa Government is likely to file a contempt plea against the riparian State.
The State has also decided to file a complaint-cum-appeal before the Mhadei Progressive River Authority for Water and Harmony (PRAWAH) seeking its intervention and requesting for a joint inspection to ascertain the level of work undertaken by Karnataka.
Speaking to The Goan, Minister for Water Resources Department (WRD) Subhash Shirodkar said that the State will file a contempt plea against Karnataka in the Supreme Court, in consultation with the Advocate General. “This will be the third contempt petition against Karnataka. The Supreme Court had clearly said that Karnataka cannot go ahead with the work without obtaining all the permission. Even Karnataka had assured the Court it will not go ahead with work,” he said.
Shirodkar said that as per Google imagery, at present there is no work on-going at the proposed site. “However, a team of WRD Mhadei cell is at the site for inspection. The team will submit its report to the government by tomorrow (Friday) morning. As per initial pictures, Karnataka has done some trenching work but we cannot trust that State,” he said.
“Based on the report, we will write to PRAWAH appealing for a joint inspection. A joint inspection will expose Karnataka and PRAWAH will be in position to initiate action against them,” he added.
The Supreme Court in 2020 had upheld Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal’s interim order dated April 17, 2014, directing that Karnataka cannot start work without a revised DPR which has to be approved by the Union government or the Mhadei Water Management Authority and without obtaining all the required permissions.
The Minister said that the government is very much vigilant about the issue and that an inspection is conducted every fortnight or in 20 days.
On Wednesday, Environmentalist and member of Mhadei Bachao Abhiyan Rajendra Kerkar had informed that deep channels have been dug at Kankumbi to allow water to flow into the conduit built in the area. He pointed out that Karnataka has even felled large number of trees at the site, which is inside the government notified reserved forest, without obtaining any permission.
The Apex Court, that has clubbed all the petitions pertaining to Mhadei river water diversion, including Goa Government’s special leave petition challenging Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal’s 2018 Award, has listed the matter for next hearing on August 5, 2024.
During the last hearing held in February, all the three riparian States -- Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra were granted liberty to file additional submissions within a period of eight weeks.
