The Hindu : National : River project: court declines to pass order on Goa plea

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Sep 29, 2006
ePaper

National

National

River project: court declines to pass order on Goa plea

J. Venkatesan

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to pass any order on a Goa application in a suit for an interim injunction to restrain Karnataka from constructing the Kalasa Banduri project across the Mandovi river.

A Bench comprising Justices B.N. Agrawal, P.P. Naolekar and Lokeshwar Singh Panta, said no interim order could be passed without hearing Karnataka. It however, issued notice to Goa on the application during `mention' time and posted the matter to October 19.

Appearing for Goa, senior counsel K. Parasaran pleaded for a direction to Karnataka to maintain `status quo' as the construction would begin on October 2. The Centre had held the project in abeyance but Karnataka wanted to proceed with it.Goa contended that the project contemplated by Karnataka in the inter-State river involved diversion of water outside the basin and it was not permissible. Any abstraction of water by the upstream State would deprive Goa inhabitants of drinking water and consequently affect their rights. Refuting the contentions, Karnataka, in its affidavit, said the proposed diversion of water was only 7.56 tmcft annually out of the total availability of 180-220 tmcft as estimated by the Central Water Commission. The proposed diversion was mainly for drinking requirement.

Karnataka said it would begin construction on October 2 in the non-forest areas with non-plan funds at its own risk, and the diversion or utilisation under this project would be subject to the outcome of the suit.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National