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THE CROSS EXAMINATION
* Dr Jyoti Prakash testified that the Mhadei basin is a water deficit basin and hence water cannot be diverted from it
* Dr Prakash is Head and Prof at IIT Mumbai and is listed as Goa’s first witness
* Consultant Chetan Pandit is listed as Goa’s second witness, who will depose later
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PANAJI: Cross examination of the expert member and Goa’s first witness Dr Jyoti Prakash began before the Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal on Wednesday, after hearings in the case resumed on Wednesday.
On a day of hectic developments, the interim application filed by Karnataka for 7 TMC of water came up before the Tribunal with Goa opposing the application and seeking three weeks to file its reply and thereafter another two weeks for Karnataka to file its rejoinder. The next hearing on the interim application has been kept in July. The Tribunal also granted Maharashtra time to file its application based on Karnataka’s demand.
Hydrologist Dr Jyoti Prakash is the Head and Prof at IIT Mumbai and is listed as Goa’s first witness while consultant Chetan Pandit is listed as Goa’s second witness, who will depose later.
During the cross examination, Dr Jyoti Prakash has testified that the Mhadei basin is a water deficit basin and hence water cannot be diverted from it. The cross examination of the witness will continue over the next few days.
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Interim award sought
on humanitarian
grounds: Karnataka
THE GOAN NETWORK
BELAGAVI: The Interlocutory Application (IA) filed by Karnataka earlier this year with the Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT) seeking an interim award in the inter-state river water dispute with Goa came for hearing before the Justice J M Panchal Tribunal on Wednesday.
After hearing Karnataka’s plea presented by a team of advocates from Karnataka headed by Adv Fali Nariman and team, the Tribunal directed Goa for its reply within the next four weeks and the next hearing on the dispute was posted on July 11.
Briefing about Karnataka’s side over the issue, Karnataka Minister for Water Resources M B Patil told The Goan that in November last year, a consensus was arrived at during an all-party meeting over filing of the IA.
“Karnataka had sought an interim award with the Tribunal seeking the diversion of 7 TMC of water from Kalasa rivulet to River Malaprabha,” said Patil.
“Today, the IA came up for hearing with the Tribunal. Karnataka has presented its side with the Tribunal. Majority of the districts in North Karnataka are reeling under severe drought. The scarcity of water for drinking and agricultural purposes is looming large,” said Patil.
“Hence on humanitarian grounds, we have sought an interim award for the release of the water. Goa has been directed to file its reply within next four weeks with a rejoinder by Karnataka,” said Patil, adding that the Tribunal would continue to hear the evidences.
When asked about the possible fallout of the hearing that according to environmentalists may go against Karnataka, he said all the political parties in the state are united to get the issue resolved.
“No politics is coming in between the implementation of the Kalsa-Bhandura water diversion project. All the parties stand together on the issue. We are awaiting a reply from the Prime Minister’s Office, after which I am confident that an all-party delegation would convince Prime Minister Modi seeking his intervention in the issue,” Patil said.
Meanwhile, irate over further delay of decision over the issue and with little hopes about the outcome, farmers in north Karnataka have decided to further intensify the agitation under the leadership of Kalasa-Bhandura Horata Samiti convenor Vijay Kulkarni.
According to sources, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramiah who was in Gadag was confronted by the agitating farmers in the district on Wednesday.
