Govt's next move on Mahadayi should be after SC ruling: Goa CM

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday said any further action by the Centre on the proposed projects on the Mahadayi river should come only after the Supreme Court gives its verdict on the plea filed against the award of the Water Tribunal.

Sawant was talking to reporters here.

"The Goa government's stand is very clear that the Centre should take any step on this issue (like giving permissions) only after the plea filed before Supreme Court, challenging the award by Mahadayi Water Tribunal is decided," he said.

On August 14, 2018, the Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal, which was hearing a dispute between Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra over sharing of water from the Mahadayi, allotted 13.42 TMC (including 3.9 TMC for diversion into the depleted Malaprabha river basin) from the Mahadayi river basin to Karnataka Maharashtra was allotted 1.33 TMC water.

However, both Goa and Karnataka had filed petitions in the apex court challenging the tribunal's award.

Sawant also said the Goa government has demanded that Union Environment Prakash Javadekar withdraw or keep in abeyance the letter written by his ministry to Karnataka claiming that Environment Clearance (EC) is not required for one of the projects on Mahadayi river.

Responding to a question on whether Javadekar will withdraw the letter written to Karnataka, Sawant said he was "100 per cent sure" that the minister would act positively on Goa's demand.

"We have demanded that the letter be withdrawn, but if not, then it should be kept in abeyance, so that it is rendered invalid," he said.

"There will be no problem if the letter is kept in abeyance. We have said that if they want to do anything as far as Karnataka's request on Mahadayi is concerned, they should take us in confidence," he said.