The Goan Special
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PANAJI
Even as Goa is poised for a major interim order on diversion of 7 TMC of water from the Mhadei river to the Malaprabha basin, the State appears to have suffered a major setback as its star witness, Professor V Jyothiprakash, who had headed a study of the estimated yield of the basin, sought leave from cross-questioning at the ongoing trial.
Goa’s case against diversion of water to Karnataka and Maharashtra rests on eight pillars, but the key one pertains to the quantum of water in the Mhadei basin. Goa has asserted that Mhadei is a deficit basin, a claim backed by a study conducted by Jyothiprakash and M C Deo from IIT, Powai.
With Jyothiprakash now out as a witness, Goa is certainly at a disadvantage.
Jyothiprakash, in his report points to a much lesser water basin yield, 145.05 TMC. Older studies by the NWDA (National Water Development Agency) (112 TMC), CWC (Central Water Commission) (199 TMC) and IISc (Indian Institute of Science) (224 TMC) were rejected by Goa, who had then initiated the Jyothiprakash report.
He in his report mentioned the annual runoff to be at 145.05 TMC with an annual safe yield of 78.99 TMC. This translates to the basin as having anywhere between 78.99 TMC to 145.05 TMC during any period of the year in Goa’s area of the Mhadei water basin.
It had been realised during the hearing that Jyothiprakash would not be available for cross-examination on account of his academic classes at IIT, Bombay. Additional Solicitor General A Nadkarni, during the hearing decided to withdraw the witness itself and sought the liberty to present a new witness in his place.
Goa has till August 30 to present this witness.
Sources from within the water resources department have been skeptical of Jyothiprakash withstanding cross-examination by the Karnataka lawyers and had expressed serious doubts about the methodology adopted to arrive at a lower yield.
Karnataka, in its affidavit submitted to the tribunal demanded their share of the river as being “not less than 24.15 TMC for consumptive utilisation.” Their distribution pattern includes 7.56 TMC to provide drinking water to Hubli-Dharwad under the Kalasa- Bhandura nala project.
The Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal had resolved a similar issue with Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, based on sharing of surplus water. Andhra Pradesh received 1000 TMC, Karnataka got 911 TMC and Maharashtra received 666 TMC.
