Bengaluru: Seeking PM Narendra Modi's intervention to resolve the row over Mahadayi drinking water project after the Tribunal rejected the state’s plea, CM Siddaramaiah said he would obtain the opinion of all parties before deciding on the government's next move.
Speaking to reporters here on Wednesday evening, Mr Siddaramaiah said an all-party meeting would be convened next week to decide on the government's plan of action.
The state will write one more letter to the PM, seeking a convening of the meeting of all states coming under Mahadayi basin for fresh negotiations. When it came to land, language and water, all parties would be consulted without making these political issues, he said.
The CM said the BJP leaders' stand that the Karnataka government should convince opposition parties in other states on the utilization of Mahadayi water was just an excuse.
In Maharashtra, it is not just Congress, NCP and other opposition parties also occupy the political space. It is not possible to contact all opposition parties and convince them on the state’s needs, he said.
The Mahadayi Tribunal has rejected the state government's plea to utilize 7.46 tmc ft of Mahadayi water for drinking water purposes.
Recalling earlier cases where former PM late Indira Gandhi and Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee intervened in the Telugu-Ganga project as well as the dispute between Karnataka and TN, Mr Siddaramaiah reiterated his demand that Mr Modi should intervene in the Mahadayi issue. Though the state government had taken a all-party delegation to him, the PM has not yet responded.
The project is intended to supply drinking water to Hubballi-Dharwad, Savadatti and surrounding areas. As per the National Water policy, priority should be given to drinking water projects, he said.
Appealing to the people not to get provoked by the decision, he said the state would fight for their rights through legal means. Asked if State Counsel Fali Nariman was a failure, the CM said since the 1970s, he has been representing Karnataka, adding he should not be considered a failure.
Tribunal rejects state’s demand
In a judgment which could have far reaching consequences, the Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal Wednesday rejected state’s request to allow it to utilise the excess water in Mahadayi river to meet drinking water needs. The Mahadayi Tribunal headed by Justice J.M. Panchal delivered the 119-page verdict on an interim application filed in December 2015.
Pro-Kannada organizations have called for a dawn-to-dusk bandh on Saturday, to protest against the Mahadayi tribunal verdict, which went against Karnataka.
The tribunal said, “Karnataka has sought permission to lift, seven tmcft water from Mahadayi to Malaprabha basin during monsoon for irrigation and drinking purposes in drought-hit areas. Before merging with the sea, water of a river is available for consumptive and non-consumptive use by the state concerned. Therefore, river water merging with the sea cannot be considered waste. The plea of wastage may become relevant if surplus water is available. The tribunal has come to the conclusion that Karnataka has failed to establish that surplus water is available at three points from which water is sought to be shifted to Malaprabha basin.”
Mohan Katarki, a member of Karnataka legal team, said, “The tribunal got it wrong. Instead of focussing on wastage of 199.6 tmcft by Goa, as estimated by CWC in 2001 and 2003, the tribunal has minutely gone into details of the proposed lift scheme and deficiency in Malaprabha basin as if it is considering the techno-economic feasibility of the project report. Even on clearance under central laws like Environment Act of 1986, the Tribunal has misconcieved the legal position. Expecting Karnataka to obtain clearances before applying to the Tribunal for allocation of water, is akin to putting the cart before the horse.”
How it all started
- Project aims at providing drinking water to Gadag, Dharwad and Belagavi districts
- Barrages to be built across two tributaries of the Mahadayi – Kalasa & Banduri
- This will help divert Mahadayi water to Malaprabha, main water source to 3 districts
- Centre gave clearance for the project in 2002
- Goa opposed the project claiming that it will harm its flora and fauna
- This forced NDA government led by Vajpayee to put it on hold
- Karnataka and Goa have since then been at loggerheads over the project
- Later, JD(S)-BJP coalition government decided to go ahead with the project
- Kumaraswamy government laid the foundation stone in 2006
- Goa moves SC, gets stay order on the project
- UPA government forms tribunal
- Karnataka farmers oppose tribunal and seek out of court settlement
- Movement gained momentum last year due to drought in the region
