BELAGAVI
Amid growing tensions between Karnataka and Goa over the Mhadei water sharing dispute after Goa filed a contempt petition in the Supreme Court, Karnataka ridiculed Goa government’s contempt petition diversion as illogical and false, adding it would take up the matter in the apex court and Centre to ensure justice prevails.
In a statement, Karnataka Minister for Water Resources & Development Ramesh Jarkiholi strongly criticised the Goa government over the issue, saying the video and photo evidence which Goa government had submitted to the Supreme Court alleging that Karnataka diverted Mhadei water was totally false and needlessly created by Goa.
“The Supreme Court is aware of the retainer wall built near Kankumbi, blocking the Kalsa Nala diversion to prevent the flow of Mhadei water to Malaprabha. Goa's false claims in the apex court will not be accepted,” Jarkiholi said in an official statement released on Saturday evening.
“The BJP government in Karnataka had promised to implement the Mhadei water diversion project to quench the drinking water needs of the people of North Karnataka region and will initiate all required measures to ensure its implementation,” Jarkiholi asserted.
He also informed that apart from following up the matter with the Centre on regular basis, he has written a letter to Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh with an appeal to help Karnataka government to get its share of water from Mhadei and Krishna rivers at the earliest.
“Be it Mhadei or Krishna rivers, my priority is to safeguard the interests of people of Karnataka,” affirmed Jarkiholi, while adding that Karnataka is prepared to face all eventualities arising out of claims by the border states of Goa and Telangana.
Jarkiholi has also criticised the Telangana government over the latter's demand for constitution of a fresh tribunal to share Krishna river water.
“Like the Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT) constituted for sharing of Mhadei water with Goa, the Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal (KWDT) too in 2013 has already given its final award granting Karnataka, Maharashtra and the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh their share of water. It is unfair of Goa and Telangana governments to create a fresh controversy on this count,” said Jarkiholi.
