The Goa government on Tuesday claimed that the Mahadayi Inter-state Water Disputes Tribunal’s ruling, was a “major victory” for the State. On Tuesday, the tribunal decided that Goa will allot 13.42 TMC of water from the Mahadayi river basin to Karnataka, as against the latter’s demand for 36.55.
The tribunal headed by Justice J.M. Panchal ruled that only 13.42 TMC water would be allotted to Karnataka. Karnataka had claimed 36.55 TMC water from the Mahadayi basin, which included 1.50 TMC for irrigation and drinking, 7.56 TMC for diversion to the already depleted basin of the Malaprabha river through the Kalsa-Bahnduri canal project and 14.97 for power generation.
Goa Congress, however, called the verdict unfortunate and urged the State to appeal against it. Former chief minister Francisco Sardinha alleged that the verdict was manipulated by the BJP government at the Centre.
“They should move the Supreme Court to get justice. If this is not done, then people of Goa will have to come on to the roads to remind the government that this is their job and they should do it as early as possible,” Mr. Sardinha said.
Mr. Sardinha said that the members of the tribunal were appointed by the Central government and that the ruling was known before-hand, because BJP national president Amit Shah had promised the people of Karnataka of diverting the Mahadayi river water in the run-up to the polls in Karnataka.
Rajendra Kerkar, senior environmentalist and leader of Mahadayi Bachav Abhiyan, an NGO which has been simultaneously fighting the case on the State’s side, said, “This is a loss to Goa, and a setback to its environment and ecology.”
Additional Solicitor General Atmaram Nadkarni said that the Goa government did not have any objection to Karnataka’s claim for use of water from the basin for consumptive purposes.“Karnataka has been allocated only 5.5 TMC of water which also includes 1.5 TMC of water for in-basin consumptive use for which the state of Goa did not have any objection,” he added.
An official from the Goa Water Resources Department said that the 8.02 TMC water allotted to Karnataka for power generation, would not have much impact on Goa’s needs, because the water would continue to flow downwards along the river into Goa.
Goa Water Resources Minister Vinod Palyekar who had earlier said that the State would not share “one drop of water” from the Mahadayi with Karnataka, was unavailable for comment.
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is currently on a U.S. trip for a medical check-up, on Twitter, said, “I am happy that the Mahadayi Tribunal with its final verdict has done justice to Goa.”
Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra are locked in a dispute over the Mahadayi river basin. Mahadayi also known as the Mandovi river when it enters Goa, is considered a lifeline in the northern parts of the State. It originates in Karnataka and meets the Arabian Sea in Panaji in Goa, while briefly flowing through the territory of Maharashtra.While 78% of the basin of the Mahadayi river lies in Goa, 42.79% is located in Karnataka and a small portion comes under Maharashtra.
