Karnataka Min Seeks Resolution of Mhadei River Dispute With Goa, Maharashtra

Panaji: Karnataka Agriculture Minister PM Narendra Swamy on Tuesday called for an amicable resolution of the decades-long Mhadei water dispute involving his state, Goa and Maharashtra, saying the issue should be settled in a "brotherly manner".

Talking to reporters in South Goa, Swamy said the dispute between the neighbouring states was not new, and stressed that they should find a solution through dialogue, particularly to fulfil their drinking water needs.

"It is an interstate dispute, not from today. It should be solved in a friendly manner. Brotherly states should solve the problem, at least for drinking water," he said.

However, Swamy declined to comment in detail on the merits of the dispute, saying the matter was currently before the Supreme Court.

"It is in the court. Let the court decide," he said.

The minister's remarks come against the backdrop of the long-standing dispute over the sharing of the waters of the Mhadei (Mahadayi) river between Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra. The dispute has centred particularly on Karnataka's proposed Kalasa-Bhandura project to divert water from the Mhadei basin towards the Malaprabha basin for drinking water needs in northern Karnataka.

The Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal, constituted in 2010, delivered its final award in 2018 allocating water among the three states. The matter subsequently reached the Supreme Court, where various legal proceedings concerning the tribunal award and the proposed diversion project remain pending.

The Centre had in July this year returned Karnataka's proposal seeking wildlife clearance for the Kalasa-Bhandura project, citing the pending legal dispute before the Supreme Court. The Union Environment Ministry said the proposal could be reconsidered after directions from the apex court.

Swamy said the drinking water requirements of people should be considered while dealing with inter-state water disputes.

"If you are thirsty, don't you need water? If there is too much rain, can you hold that water?" he said.

According to him, Karnataka also faced situations of drought and had to seek assistance from neighbouring states for water.

"When the drought issue is there, we are begging to the neighbouring states. We are in India, we should share the problems," Swamy said.

He stressed that the issue involved three states and should ultimately be resolved through the judicial process.

"It is a bilateral decision, it is a three-state issue, it should be resolved by the court. We are all brotherly states. We share natural resources. Needy people's problems should be analysed," he said.

The Mhadei originates in Karnataka and flows through Goa before joining the Arabian Sea. Goa has consistently opposed the diversion of its waters, citing concerns over its water security and ecological impact, while Karnataka has maintained that the proposed diversion is primarily aimed at meeting drinking water requirements in its water-stressed northern districts.