KERI: The state government on Tuesday filed a rejoinder before the Supreme Court in the
Mhadei
matter, objecting to the claims made by Karnataka in a special leave petition and counter affidavit.
On August 14, 2018, the Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal had permitted Karnataka to divert 3.9 TMC of water through the Kalasa-Bhandara project outside the Mhadei basin after obtaining necessary statutory clearances. Karnataka has already filed a seperate special leave petition before the apex court seeking an enhancement of the allocation of water. The matter is pending before the court.
When TOI contacted Goa advocate general Devidas Pangam, he said, “A rejoinder has been filed before the apex court in the Mhadei matter by Goa's advocate on record Pratap Venu Gopal. Whatever objections made by Karnataka in the special leave petition (SLP) filed by Goa government, we have given necessary replies.”
“The allegation that the tribunal has allowed to use only 33.3 TMC of water as against the demand for 94 TMC for consumptive use is also not fully correct because the award passed by the tribunal is on the basis of material placed. There are no merit in the contention that the tribunal was required to allocate 94 TMC of water,” he said.
M Bangaraswami, one of the chief engineers of the Karnataka water resources department, had in September filed a counter affidavit on behalf of Karnataka to the SLP filed by Goa.
Goa has taken objection to the assessment made by the tribunal with respect to 75% dependable yield being 188 TMC as a gross over estimation. Goa has also taken objections to Karnataka’s contention that the tribunal has allocated 147.9 TMC to the environment as this figure does not appear anywhere in the award.
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