PANAJI
The Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT) resumed hearings in water dispute with Goa’s counsel,
Atmaram Nadkarni cross-examining Karnataka’s witness, A K Gossain.
The cross examination was done before the three-member tribunal, headed by Justice J M Panchal.
The first question asked to Gossain was with respect to inconsistencies in the report of Central Water Commission (CWC 2003) wherein CWC had made blunders vis-a-vis the raw data and the processed data.
The witness was not in a position to explain the said inconsistencies in the CWC report. The witness thereafter tried to produce an altogether new report purportedly showing the processing of raw data which he had rather miserably failed to do and not done earlier. It so turned out that this report was around 80 pages as compared to his earlier report which was of 64 pages.
“Therefore it is obvious that in the guise of showing processing of data, the witness wants to cover up the blunders he has committed in his earlier report. One copy of this new so called report was brought to this tribunal and therefore the tribunal came down heavily on him for not having enough copies to give to the tribunal and advocates of the opposite party,” said a source.
All this was prompted by Goa’s Counsel Nadkarni to observe that “this conduct of the witness of State of Karnataka shows that the earlier report was completely bogus report done without application of mind making a mockery of cross examination.”
The proceedings will be taken up on Friday for continuation of cross​ by N S Nadkarni. Goa team also included AG Dattaprasad Lawande.
