Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Goa government’s request for a joint site inspection of the Karnataka Kalasa Nala project will be discussed at the Mhadei-PRAWAH (Progressive River Authority for Welfare and Harmony) meeting in Mumbai on March 4.
On October 25 of last year, PRAWAH had its third meeting under Chairman Navin Kumar in Goa, when the body agreed to get a legal opinion from the Central government regarding the joint site inspection request.
The fourth meeting’s draft agenda states that the PRAWAH would continue to consider the joint inspection idea, to which Karnataka is vehemently objecting.
A thorough process for the ultimate approval of new small-scale drinking water and irrigation projects will also be covered in the conference. The DPR for Maharashtra’s Virdi Large Minor Irrigation Project, which Karnataka has also objected to, will also be discussed by the members.
The PRAWAH team visited the Mhadei basin regions of Goa, Karnataka, and Maharashtra in July of last year at the Goa government’s request. Nevertheless, the crew neglected to examine the actual diversion location, and as a result, the departing chairman, PM Scott, completely ignored Karnataka’s infraction in its report.
Goa strongly protested to this and asked for permission to conduct another joint site examination in a new communication in August.
In order to implement the August 2018 Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal (MWDT) Award, the Authority was established on May 22, 2023. The first meeting of PRAWAH was held in Goa in February, while the second was held in Bengaluru in July of 2024.
A number of administrative issues, such as ordering three States to send officers to PRAWAH on a deputation basis, would also be covered at the Mumbai conference.
