‘Karnataka cut dam height, forest size to bypass law, get nods’

Panaji: Chief minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday held a meeting with members of the Mhadei Bachao Abhiyan (MBA) to discuss Goa’s next course of action, after Karnataka received approval from the Central Water Commission for its revised detailed project report to divert water from Mhadei’s tributaries.
It was discussed at the meeting that Karnataka altered the height of its proposed dams and reduced the area of forest required for the projects in an attempt to bypass the forest and other laws, and get clearances. Though Goa has written to the Central Water Commission seeking a copy of the revised DPR submitted by Karnataka, the state is yet to receive the copy.
However, the government has received inputs from its sources that the height of the proposed Kalasa and Haltara dams have been reduced to around 10-11m. The dams will tap water from the Haltara and the Surla tributaries of the Mhadei.
The meeting on Tuesday also discussed how Karnataka has projected that it will now require only 61 sqm of forest area as against the earlier 364 sqm. This has been done to allow the state to bag forest clearances at the earliest.
Karnataka has proposed to divert 3.9tmc ft of water under the new DPR.
“We will give priority to our state’s interest and we are not ready for any sort of compromise in this matter,” said the chief minister.
The chief minister, WRD minister Subhash Shirodkar, Goa’s advocate general Devidas Pangam, WRD chief engineer Pramod Badami and executive engineer Dilip Naik were present for the meeting
The AG said that Goa had already filed a special leave petition before the Supreme Court in the Mhadei matter, but it had not yet come up for hearing. Therefore, Goa will file an interlocutory application so that the SLP is taken up for hearing at the earliest. The petition will be filed soon, the AG said.
He said the matter has already been discussed with Darius Khambata, who is senior counsel for Goa.
Nirmala Sawant of the Mhadei Bachao Abhiyan told the chief minister that she will be approaching the Supreme Court, pointing to the contempt of court by Karnataka. In 2017, Karnataka’s senior counsel Fali Nariman had told the Supreme Court that no construction was being carried out at Kalasa and Bandhura and that no construction would be done.
Based on this assurance, the Mhadei Bachao Abhiyan’s matter was disposed of by the SC. Nirmala told the chief minister that Karnataka has violated its submission before the apex court as the state has constructed a diversion canal at site to dam and divert the Kalasa and the Bhandura tributaries.
The CM also took note of recent TOI reports that Karnataka had already completed the survey and soil testing for its damming projects. Mhadei Bachao Abhiyan members also pointed to the TOI report that the Kalasa had already dried at its source this year for the first time, as a result of Karnataka’s water diversion work.
The CM said that a notice has already been issued to Karnataka by Goa’s forest department under the Wildlife Protection Act for altering the flow of water into Goa’s protected area at the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary.
Mhadei Bachao Abhiyan members also urged the chief minister to study the impact of the work on fish, and other ecological fallouts, due to Karnataka’s work.