The Supreme Court’s direction to the Union government to notify in the gazette the Mahadayi River Water Disputes Tribunal order about allocation of water between Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Goa has led to celebrations in some parts of the State.
Officers acquainted with irrigation issues, however, have cautioned that celebrations may be premature as work on the project can not start immediately. It needs approvals and clarifications at many levels. This is apart from a clear go-ahead by the Supreme Court that is hearing objections by the riparian States, said officers.
‘Only a formality’
“Gazette notification is only a formality and should not be seen either as a signal by the court to go ahead with the project or as a measure that will speed it up,” The real debate will start from July 15, when the apex court will hear objections to the project by Goa. “Once that is settled, we can start seeking approvals by various Ministries,” he said.
“We have to understand that Mahadayi dispute is different from other river water sharing disputes where the quantum of water is in question. In Mahadayi, we have to address different challenges. Goa is questioning the whole project, saying that it would be disastrous for the environment, and Maharashtra is linking the validity of the project to the border issue and wants a better share of the water. We need to address these issues at different platforms at different times, in the court and outside,” said a senior officer.
Karnataka also needs to get permissions from the Central Forest Ministry and the Central Water Commission, though the State has got an exemption from the Union Environment Ministry because it is a drinking water project. “But this has been questioned by NGOs in Goa who want the exemption reviewed citing environmental issues,” the officer said.
They are upset about issues such as construction of a reservoir in the Western Ghats, which could lead to erosion of a large extent of forest land, reduce inflow into the Mahadayi/Mandovi and decrease the quantum of sweet water entering the Arabian Sea. This, they say, would damage the environment and affect the marine life in the river and the sea as well. All these issues have to be tackled,” the officer said.
The State also faces the challenge of finding the resources to take up work at four places. “We have nearly completed canal work in Kalasa nala, but work on the Banduri nala is yet to start. Work on the reservoir that will impound the water to be released into the Malaprabha and generate hydroelectricity is yet to begin. The detailed project reports cleared by the State Cabinet are at least 12 years old. They will need to be reworked,” said another officer.
