Goa to approach SC over K’taka ‘diverting’ water

The Goa government will approach the Supreme Court with a plea that Karnataka has started “diverting water” from the Kalasa tributary of the Mhadei river, chief minister Pramod Sawant told the state legislative assembly on Tuesday amid ruckus by Opposition benches that the state government wasn't doing enough to prevent the diversion of the river.

- Gerard de Souza

Speaking during the question hour, Sawant said that he was aware that Karnataka was doing “activities”, but that there was little Goa could do except go to the Supreme Court with their pleas.

The Mhadei river 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 along with Maharashtra have appealed against the tribunal’s order on sharing water by the three states in the SC, and the matter is sub-judice.