PANAJI
The Goa government on Friday filed an appeal before the Mhadei Progressive River Authority for Water and Harmony (PRAWAH) demanding for a joint inspection at Kankumbi, where Karnataka has recommenced work to divert the flow of monsoonal water towards the Kalasa.
Speaking to The Goan, the Minister for Water Resources Department (WRD), Subhash Shirodkar, said that the government is expecting a positive response from PRAWAH.
“Our WRD team has already conducted the inspection and we have observed that some trenching work has been undertaken for diversion of the Mhadei river water. Currently, there is no work going on,” he said.
“A joint inspection will help us in exposing Karnataka’s illegal act,” the Minister added.
Shirodkar reiterated that a contempt plea in the Supreme Court against Karnataka will be filed in consultation with the Advocate General, at the earliest.
As reported by The Goan, according to the Environmentalist and member of Mhadei Bachao Abhiyan Rajendra Kerkar, Karnataka has undertaken work of deep channels at Kankumbi to allow water to flow into the conduit built in the area.
He pointed out that Karnataka has even felled a large number of trees at the site, which is inside the government notified reserved forest, without obtaining any permission.
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.
Meanwhile, Save Goa Save Mhadei Front member Hrudaynath Shirodkar strongly condemned Karnataka’s act and the Goa government’s failure to act.
“Without wasting time, Goa should immediately file a contempt plea in the Supreme Court,” he said.
