Goa-Karnataka water sharing dispute escalates

The study would reveal how a dam will affect the bio-diversity of Goa

Goa government approved the appointment of a senior expert who would document Goa's objection to divert Mahdai river's water by Karnataka and that state's alleged conspiracy to do so, under the guise of needing "drinking water".

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar told reporters that the cabinet had approved appointment of Chetan Pandit, a former member of the Central Water Commission, as a technical consultant to fight Goa's case against the alleged diversion of Mahadai's river water from Goa to Karnataka, by constructing dams across the inter-state border.

Incidentally, Goa and Karnataka are fighting a case before a water tribunal over the diversion of Mahdai (Mandovi) river water to Karnataka.

"Karnataka has enough rivers which could be used for drinking, but they are eyeing Mahdai river and constructing dams illegally, although there is stay order by the court," Parrikar alleged, mentioning the construction of a dam on the Kalsa-Bhandura tributary.

"The water diversion is completely a conspiracy on the part of the Karnataka government," he alleged.

He said that the technical expert would expose this "conspiracy" with the help of documentation and also present a report to strengthen Goa's claims against water diversion.

Parrikar said that the study would reveal how damming the flow of water would affect bio-diversity of the state located downstream.

"It will also point out, through a water flow parameter study, how the salinity of rivers will increase due to diversion of water and its impact on the local population," he said.