Karnataka - Belgaum   

Kalasa-Banduri: Goa Government files application before panel

Staff Correspondent

Environmentalist fears threat to ecology owing to project

Belgaum: The Goa Government has filed an interlocutory application before the General Empowered Committee constituted by the Supreme Court in the matter of Shrihari Kugaji and others vs. the State of Karnataka and State of Goa, praying to be impleaded and heard by the committee as a party respondent in the Kalasa-Banduri Nala diversion scheme undertaken by Karnataka.

The application of Mr. Kugaji, secretary of an environmental organisation, Pariyavarni, seeking a stay on the construction work taken up by the Karnataka Government without obtaining a clearance from the Centre, is before the Supreme Court. One issue raised by him is the threat to the sensitive ecology of the Western Ghat region owing to the project.

Suit

He said on Sunday that the Goa Government had filed an original suit before the court seeking a restraint on the Karnataka Government from proceeding with the planning, construction and water regulation of any projects in the Mandovi river basin involving trans-basin water diversion until the inter-State disputes were adjudicated by a tribunal.

The NDA Government, led by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had cleared the scheme but soon kept it in abeyance following a "protest letter" from the Goa Government.

Since the State Government was committed to providing drinking water to Hubli-Dharwad, Gadag and parts of Belgaum, it decided to start construction works without waiting for the Centre's nod, he added.

The works were started on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti last year with the Deputy Chief Minister laying the foundation stone at Kankumbi of Khanapur taluk.

The State Government had said nothing would come in the way of the scheme as it would be drawing 7.50 tmc of water from the Mahadayi basin (known as Mandovi basin in Goa) to meet drinking water requirements of the people .

The Goa Government has urged the committee to stay the construction works by Karnataka since work on the disputed scheme was taken up without obtaining concurrences of the riparian States of Goa and Maharashtra and without obtaining statutory clearances under several Acts , Mr. Kugadji added.

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