PANAJI
The Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal while hearing Karnataka's arguments in the case on Friday has asked Goa why it cannot divert 7 TMC of water to Karnataka even as the neighbouring state has argued that there is enough water to last till 2051.
Goa is left to justify its stand against diversion of 7 TMC of water to Karnataka as final round of arguments will begin on Monday. During Friday's hearing Karnataka's counsel, Fali Nariman argued that the current yield in the Mhadei basin was 108 TMC, while Goa's requirement was 9.335 TMC. He also argued that Goa's requirement for the year 2051 was 64 TMC.
The Tribunal has now posed the question to Goa's counsel led by Atmaram Nadkarni who will have to justify the State's opposition to diversion of 7 TMC to the Kalasa Bandura basin.
Goa has since day one argued that any diversion in water would result in River Mandovi running dry with no water for drinking in the non-monsoon months of the year.
Nadkarni has called Monday's final round of arguments “crucial and extremely important”.
Monday's hearing will be in response to Karnataka's plea for interim relief to divert 7 TMC of water from the Mhadei basin. Also ongoing as part of the tribunal hearing is the cross examination of Goa's witness based on a report that has estimated the basin’s actual yield. A new witness will be placed before the tribunal after its first witness, M Jyothiprakash withdrew as witness.
