Will approach SC for joint inspection of Kalasa Banduri river diversion project: Goa minister

Goa plans to approach the Supreme Court for a joint inspection of the Kalasa Banduri river project amid ongoing disputes with Karnataka over water diversion.

PANAJI: Goa water resources minister Subhash Shirodkar on Friday said the state government will approach the Supreme Court to seek a joint inspection of the Kalasa Banduri river diversion project.

Goa has alleged that Karnataka has been diverting water by altering the course of the streams (FILE PHOTO)

Shirodkar, who chaired a meeting of the committee constituted by the Goa assembly, said the Mahadayi PRAWAH (Progressive River Authority for Welfare and Harmony), the authority designated to implement the award of the Mahadayi River Disputes Tribunal, had earlier declined Goa’s request for a joint inspection on the grounds that the matter was sub-judice before the Supreme Court.

“There are some good suggestions from the members as regards the Mhadei issue -- of which an important suggestion is to seek permission from the Supreme Court for a joint inspection -- for which there will be members of the PRAWAH and our officers and of course from all the states involved in the dispute -- the PRAWAH will be able to also offer their opinion,” Shirodkar said adding that the state would approach the Supreme Court in November.

Goa has alleged that Karnataka has been diverting water by altering the course of the streams, without obtaining the requisite approvals.

The Mhadei river (spelt Mahadayi in Karnataka) originates in the Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka, and flows through Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra as it empties into the Arabian Sea at Panaji in Goa. The Centre had set up a tribunal which decided on sharing the river water between the three riparian states — Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra. Goa and Karnataka have both approached the Supreme Court challenging the tribunal’s 2018 award.

The protracted dispute stems from the mutually irreconcilable positions taken by Karnataka and Goa.

Karnataka wanted to divert 36.5 tmc ft (thousand million cubic feet) of water from the river into an east-flowing Malaprabha river, but the tribunal granted 13.42 tmc ft. The Goa government was opposed to any diversion and agreed to captive use within the same basin.