Says matter ‘sub-judice’, PRAWAH has no authority to inspect or intervene; Shirodkar says no reply on site inspection
PANAJI
Karnataka State has strongly opposed Goa's Tri-State plan to inspect Mhadei river basin through the Mhadei Progressive River Authority for Water and Harmony (PRAWAH), stating that with matter being "sub-judice", PRAWAH has got no authority to inspect or intervene.
Following, Karnataka commencing work of deep channels at Kankumbi to allow water to flow into the conduit built in the area in March, the Goa government has approached PRAWAH seeking its intervention and demanding a site inspection to ascertain the violations.
PRAWAH, accordingly in April, accepted Goa's request for a joint inspection to study the river basin and had asked all three riparian States – Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra – to communicate the dates, as per their flexibility, to conduct the inspection.
Goa had proposed the dates as April 15, 17, 20 and 22 for conduct of the inspection.
Highly placed sources confirmed that Karnataka has raised strong objection for holding site inspection. "The State in its communication to PRAWAH has raised its objection stating that the Authority has no powers or cannot intervene when the matter is sub-judice that is pending before the Supreme Court," sources said.
"Accordingly, PRAWAH has kept the site inspection plan on hold for now," sources added.
The Apex Court, who has clubbed all the petitions pertaining to Mhadei river water diversion, including Goa government’s special leave petition challenging Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal’s 2018 Award, has listed the matter for next hearing on August 5, 2024.
During the last hearing held in February, all the three riparian States – Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra were granted liberty to file additional submissions within a period of eight weeks.
Speaking to The Goan, WRD Minister Subhash Shirodkar informed that the State has not received any communication from PRAWAH following proposal of dates for site inspection.
"We are waiting for their response. I am not aware whether Karnataka and Maharashtra has submitted their plan of action for the site visit," he said.
In March, Karnataka was involved in felling a large number of trees at the Mhadei site, which was inside the government notified reserved forest, without obtaining any permission.
Mhadei Bachao Abhiyan leader and environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar said that currently no work is being undertaken by Karnataka at the site. "I have been closely monitoring it. After March, there is no work going on," he said.
Kerkar said that site inspection during monsoon season will give a clear picture of violations by Karnataka.
The Supreme Court in 2020 had upheld Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal’s interim order dated April 17, 2014, directing that Karnataka cannot start work without a revised DPR which has to be approved by the Union government or the Mhadei Water Management Authority and without obtaining all the required permissions.
