Goa deputes fact-finding team to Kankumbi

NT NETWORK
Posted on 2008-12-16
PANAJI- Taking note of the reports appearing in the media, the Water Resources Minister, Mr Filipe Neri Rodrigues has deputed a team of senior engineers of the water resources department, headed by the superintending engineer – Mr J S Hosmani, on a fact-finding mission to Kankumbi in the neighbouring Karnataka state, which is executing work on Kalsa-Bhandura nullah project and diverting water from Mhadei basin.
The government in a press note issued here has stated that it was seized of the matter and all efforts would be made to stop the diversion of the waters from the Mhadei river. It also has stated that findings of the WRD team would be placed before the Supreme Court, which is seized with the matter. 
The government has also stated that Mhadei was an interstate river with draining areas in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa and that 78 per cent of the basin area lies in Goa. It has also stated that Karnataka has been unilaterally trying to divert the waters of Mhadei river and that Goa has approached the apex court for appointment of a tribunal to decide the issue. 
The state has also stated that based on the plea of the Goa government, the apex court had directed the Karnataka government not to divert or utilise the waters from the Mhadei river until further orders. The orders were still in force, the government has said. 
The central government has through affidavit filed by the ministry of water resources before the SC have stated that it has initiated the process of appointing a tribunal, adding that the abeyance on the clearance given to Karnataka for diversion of 7.56 TMC of water would continue till the disputes were resolved amicably between the party states or as adjudicated by the proposed tribunal. 
The government has stated that the SC has already formulated seven issues for adjudication in its hearing recently.  The next hearing is slated in the month of January 2009.  It has also stated that advocate general has already briefed the advocates and counsels of the state dealing with the matter before the SC and that latest finding would also be put before the apex court for appropriate action.