In what could turn out to be a politically tricky situation ahead of the zilla panchayat elections, the Union Water Resources Ministry has turned down the request by Karnataka seeking an out-of-tribunal settlement for the inter-State row over sharing the Mahadayi river waters. Farmers have been up in arms in north Karnataka demanding a settlement of the issue, so that canal work can be undertaken.
Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar too, meanwhile, has turned down the request by Karnataka for holding negotiations and preferred to go with the tribunal proceedings.
In a letter dated December 23, addressed to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti has maintained that any intervention by her Ministry at this juncture, when the matter was pending before the tribunal, would be “inappropriate”.
Responding to a request made by Karnataka seeking her intervention on it, Ms. Bharti has pointed out that the Centre set up the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal on November 16, 2010 for adjudicating the dispute between Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka. During pendency of the issue before the tribunal, the process of negotiation could be initiated only if all the parties concerned showed willingness for negotiation, she said. At present, there is no such proposal from Maharashtra and Goa.
Mr. Parsekar, in a letter dated January 19, said, “People of my State (Goa) feel it is more prudent to settle the dispute through the tribunal, specially because the case is proceeding at a fast pace in the tribunal and it would not be appropriate to hold a dialogue on the issue at this stage…”
The timing of the decision by the Centre as well as the stand taken by the Goa government, which have come just ahead of the elections to zilla and taluk panchayats in Karnataka, may result in a tricky situation as already farmers’ organisations are on an agitation in the four northern districts of Hubballi–Dharwad, Gadag, Belagavi, and Bagalkot.
