K'taka drawing more than Mahadayi water quota: Goa CM

Accusing Karnataka of drawing more water from the Mahadayi river, than what was awarded to it by the Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday assured the state legislative assembly that the government would file a Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court to challenge Karnataka’s action.

Sawant was speaking during the discussion on the motion of thanks to Governor Mridula Sinha’s speech.

“We are filing a special leave petition in the Supreme Court on Friday. We are not going to be quiet. It is a fact that Karnataka has diverted more water than what they were allocated by the Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal in its award last year,” Sawant told the state assembly, assuring its members that efforts were being taken to safeguard the interests of the state.

In August last year, the tribunal, which was hearing a dispute between Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra over sharing of water from the Mahadayi river, had allocated 13.42 tmcft (including 7.56 tmcft for diversion into the depleted Malaprabha river basin) from the Mahadayi river basin to Karnataka, as against 36.55 tmcft demanded by the southern state. The tribunal had also allocated 1.33 tmcft to Maharashtra.

Mahadayi, also known as the Mandovi river, is a lifeline in the northern parts of Goa. It originates in Karnataka and meets the Arabian Sea near Panaji, while briefly flowing through Maharashtra.

While 78% of the basin of the Mahadayi river lies in Goa, nearly 18% of the basin is located in Karnataka and a small portion comes under Maharashtra.

Goa consumes 584 MLD (million litres per day), 90% of which is used for domestic purposes.