Mahadayi tribunal issues fresh notice to Centre

The Mahadayi River Tribunal on Thursday issued fresh notice to Centre on a plea by Goa seeking direction to restrain Karnataka from going ahead with planning and construction of any projects in Mahadayi river basin until the inter-state water dispute also involving Maharashtra was solved.

The Tribunal Bench, headed by Justice J M Panchal, former Supreme Court judge, granted two weeks time to Karnataka to file its response on the interlocutory application filed by Goa in March this year.

The counsel from Karnataka and Maharashtra were present during the hearing while the centre remained unrepresented, prompting the tribunal to issue fresh notice to it.
The Bench, also comprising Justices P S Narayana and Justice Vinay Mittal, posted the matter for further hearing for October 8.

Goa state counsel A Subhashini filed the application seeking immediate intervention by the tribunal to stop Karnataka from proceeding with any planning, construction and water regulation of any projects in Mahadayi river basin involving trans-basin diversion of water till all the issues between Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra on sharing of water.

She also alleged that Karnataka was going ahead with the construction of inter contacting channels work and concrete works at Khalasa-Bhanduri project resulting into diversion of water from river Mahadayi.