Sawant confident of winning Mhadei case

Panaji: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday claimed that the Supreme Court’s order passed on March 2 on the interlocutory application filed by the Goa government, restraining Karnataka from continuing work on the Kalasa-Banduri project for diversion of Mhadei river water, is in ‘Goa’s favour’.

“I have received a copy of the order…order is in our favour,” Sawant said while interacting with media persons in Panaji. When asked what he has to say on the Karnataka government allotting funds to the tune of Rs 500 crore in the state budget for the fiscal year 2020-21 to complete the Kalasa-Banduri project, Sawant said, “I have nothing to comment on that, as it is Karnataka’s issue. We are confident that we will win the case.”

It may be noted that the apex court had on March 2 clarified that the interim order passed by the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal on April 17, 2014, is in force and observed that Karnataka cannot carry out any work without complying with the condition mentioned in the award dated August 14, 2018.