K'taka seeks 7 tmcft of Mahadayi water from tribunal

Karnataka on Thursday pleaded before the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal to permit it to utilise seven tmcft of water from Mahadayi River to address the drinking water shortage in Hubballi-Dharwad and the surrounding towns and villages.

Making the submission before the tribunal headed by J M Panchal, senior counsel Fali S Nariman, representing Karnataka, said the tribunal could give an interim order allowing Karnataka to use seven tmcft of water from the river before the final award was given.

Referring to the Goa government’s earlier submission that 108 tmcft of water was flowing into the Arabian Sea, Nariman said that instead of allowing for wasting the precious resource, it would be would be better to permit Karnataka to utilise it for drinking purposes in the perennial drought-hit areas.

While the Central Water Commission has said in a report that the total water flow in the Mahadayi River was 199 tmcft per year, Goa said that it aimed to utilise 37 tmcft. Even after Goa utilises its share, 71 tmcft of water will flow into the sea without any proper utilisation, Nariman said.

Atmaram Nadakarni, representing the Goa government, suggested that Karnataka had created an “artificial drought” in that region so as to seek more water from the Mahadayi. He sought time to produce documentary evidence in that regard.

The tribunal instructed the counsel to submit documents to substantiate his arguments and adjourned the hearing until Friday.