The Goa government on Friday told the Supreme Court that it wanted to avail of services of a law officer of the Union government to advance its arguments in a contempt plea filed against Karnataka chief secretary for diversion of Mahadayi river water to Malaprabha basin.
Advocate Pratap Venugopal, appearing for the state government, submitted before a bench of Justices A K Sikri and S Abdul Nazeer, that it was awaiting a permission from the Union government to seek services of Additional Solicitor General A N S Nadkarni.
The court then adjourned the matter for four weeks.
The Goa government has filed a contempt petition against the Karnataka government's top officer alleging that the state has violated the undertaking given before the Supreme Court and Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal that it would not actually utilise or divert the waters of Mahadayi river to Malaprabha basin. The allegations are primarily related to the construction works carried out by the Karnataka after giving the undertaking.
Notably, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari had earlier declined permission to ASG Nadkarni to represent Goa in the inter state water dispute.
The Goa government, subsequently, wrote to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Gadkari to reconsider the decision as Nadkarni had earlier represented the state before the tribunal and was well-versed with the facts of the matter.
Last month, the Karnataka government filed a plea in the Supreme Court challenging validity of the Mahadayi tribunal's decision of August 14, that limited the allocation of water to 5.40 tmc to the state and allowed surplus water to flow into the sea.
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