Karnataka has diverted Mahadayi water using two concrete conduits: Goa Minister

Goa Water Resources Minister Filipe Neri Rodrigues told the Goa legislative assembly in a written reply that Karnataka has diverted water from the Mahadayi river through two canals at Kalasa through interconnecting reinforced concrete conduits.

Rodrigues also said that the notification of the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal award in 2019, came as an "utter surprise". He said that Goa had not been presented with an opportunity to file its objection before the SC, before the apex court directed the central government to notify the award at the request of the Karnataka government.

"Two nallahs of Kalasa river at chainage 180 metres and 630 metres from Mahadayi Basin at Kanakumbhi are diverted to Malaprabha river through inter connecting R.C.C. conduits. The quantum of water diverted is not known," Rodrigues said in a written reply tabled during the ongoing winter session of the state legislative Assembly.

Rodrigues was responding to a question by Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat. The Goa Water Resources Minister also said that Goa was not prepared for the notification of the MWDT, citing malafide intention.

"The sudden developments regarding notification of award/decision of the Tribunal were a utter surprise as it is felt that as no opportunity was given to Goa for filing objections on Karnataka's application of July 2019 by not serving the same to our standing counsel may be with malafide intention," Rodrigues said.

Goa and Karnataka are battling out a two decade-long dispute over the sharing of the Mahadayi river in the Supreme Court, after both parties expressed reservations about the award by the Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal in 2018.

Goa has also opposed the diversion of water from the Mahadayi river basin through the Kalasa-Bhanduri project claiming it would cause “ecological devastation” in Goa.

Goa Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari told the state Assembly on Monday that the Goa government is "keen to protect the interest of the state in the Mahadayi Water Dispute". The Goa government has already challenged the award of the Mahadayi Tribunal in the apex court, where it has also filed a special leave petition related to the same issue.