Goemkarponn Desk
PANAJI: Goa Government’s proposed Tri-State plan to inspect Mhadei river basin through the Mhadei Progressive River Authority for Water and Harmony (PRAWAH), has hit major roadblock with Central government in process of appointing a new members on the committee.
However, Goa WRD Minister Subhash Shirodkar has decided to send a reminder communication to the incumbent Chairman PM Scott requesting to call for a meeting and also hold the inspection, before the existing committee is dissolved and new members are appointed.
Sources informed that a letter would be sent to the Chairman mostly likely before end of this month. “Minister wants atleast a meeting be called as so far only one meeting is been held,” sources said.
The jal shakti ministry constituted Mhadei PRAWAH to enable compliance and implementation of the final award given by the Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal in 2018.
The Authority had its first and only meeting in February, this year in Goa, wherein the Authority were of the view to resolve the issue “amicably”.
Following, Karnataka commencing work of deep channels at Kankumbi to allow water to flow into the conduit built in the area in March, the Goa Government has approached PRAWAH seeking its intervention and demanding a site inspection to ascertain the violations.
PRAWAH, accordingly in April, accepted Goa’ request for a joint inspection to study the river basin and had asked all three riparian States- Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra – to communicate the dates, as per their flexibility, to conduct the inspection.
Goa had proposed the dates as April 15, 17, 20 and 22 for conduct of the inspection.
“State did not receive any communication from PRAWAH thereafter,” sources said.
Meanwhile, the Centre invited applications to appoint new members of PRAWAH as all its incumbent members are on deputation including the Chairman.
Notified in May, last year, following a request from Goa Government, the Jal Shakti Ministry appointed its members and a part time director only in July while the three riparian States waited till September 2023 to nominate their representatives.
At present Goa is represented by Subhash Chandra, IAS cadre, secretary of water resources, on the Authority. Karnataka’s IAS cadre officer Rakesh Singh, who is the additional chief secretary of the water resources department (WRD) and Maharashtra’s Milind Naik, chief engineer of WRD for Konkan division are the other members.