Goa suspends bus services to Karnataka over river dispute

Goa on Thursday suspended bus services to Karnataka following an ongoing river dispute between the two states.

Transport Minister Sudin Dhavalikar said the two-day suspension was issued as a "precautionary measure".

Wednesday and Thursday saw a string of protests in northern Karnataka, along the Goa border, after the New Delhi-based Mhadei Water disputes tribunal on Wednesday directed Karnataka not to divert 7.56 TMC water from the Mhadei river to the Malaprabha basin until final orders.

Karnataka had started work to divert the water from the Mhadei, which flows into Goa, into the basin of the Malaprabha river, which it claims is in water deficit.

"The suspension is for the state of Karnataka only, not for Goa. We have won the Mhadei dispute issue on Wednesday. The Karnataka government should solve its problem. Though bus operators here are ready to go to Karnataka, but I have ordered them not to go there for two days. Right now there are no bus services for Karnataka," Dhavalikar said.

The cities and towns of Karnataka are a major trade as well as passenger destination for Goa. Over 100 inter-state buses, operated by private and public operators, ply between the two states every day.