The Centre has declined a request from the Goa government to have Additional Solicitor General Atmaram Nadkarni appear on the latter's behalf before the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal.
The tribunal is currently hearing a dispute between Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra on sharing the Mahadayi (Mandovi in Goa) water.
Goa government had, in August, filed a disobedience application against Karnataka before the tribunal for injunction against the latter diverting Mahadayi water to the Malaprabha basin.
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had then written to the Centre for the appointment of Nadkarni to fight the state's case.
In a communication, dated October 19, to the Goa government, Union Minister for Water Resources Nitin Gadkari said, "It is to state that the Central government is a neutral party to the river water disputes among the party states and, therefore, it would be inappropriate for the Central government to permit Additional Solicitor General to represent a particular state for inter-state river disputes."
Nadkarni has been representing Goa before the tribunal since 2012.
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