The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Union government to file its reply in three weeks on the petition filed by Goa objecting to the construction of the Kalasa Banduri project across the Mandovi river on the inter-state border by Karnataka.

 When the Centre sought eight  weeks’ time, a bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice R V Raveendran said   the reply should be filed in 3 weeks.

Goa counsel submitted that the Centre had already taken enough time to file the reply and no more time should be given. Karnataka Advocate General Uday Hullah and counsel Anita Shinoy appeared for Karnataka. iling a petition in September 2006, Goa had contended that the project constructed by Karnataka on 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 the Goa inhabitants of drinking water and consequently affect their rights, the petition said. Refuting the contentions, Karnataka, in its affidavit, had said the proposed diversion of water was only 7.56 tmc ft annually out of the total availability of 180-220 tmc ft as estimated by the Central Water Commission. The proposed diversion was mainly for drinking requirement.

Karnataka has already started construction of the project since last year in the non-forest areas with non-plan funds at its own risk, and the diversion under this project would be subject to the outcome of the suit.