Water Resources Minister M.B. Patil has said that the government was contemplating urging the Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal to hold frequent meetings to address the water sharing issue between Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra as the term of the Tribunal expires in August 2016.
Addressing presspersons here on Thursday, he said he would also meet senior advocate Fali S. Nariman, who is representing the State, to check the possibility of seeking an interim allocation of 7.6 tmcft of water to State from the Tribunal.
“Earlier, it was opined that it was not right on part of the Karnataka to seek any interim allocation. However, considering the shortage of water, the government is contemplating this aspect,” he said.
Asserting that though the matter was before the Tribunal, he said it was possible to reach a consensual agreement on water sharing only if Prime Minister Narendra Modi intervened. Although he hoped Mr. Modi would intervene, he accused the Prime Minister of not showing statesmanship on the issue when an all-party delegation met him in Delhi a few days ago.
Mr. Patil said the Congress had taken leaders of various political parties to present several demands, mainly seeking Mr. Modi’s intervention in the Kalasa-Banduri Nala Project, demanding Rs. 3,050 crore for drought relief works, waiving Rs. 1,357 crore loan borrowed by grape and pomegranate farmers of 14 districts in the State, and financial aid for sugarcane farmers. He said the State had incurred an agricultural loss of around Rs. 11,317 crore due to drought; Vijayapura district alone has lost Rs. 116 crore.
Consensus possible only if Prime Minister intervenes: Minister
