SC order on Mahadayi protects Goa’s interests:Sawant
No Interim Relief, says Vijai
According to the apex court, Karnataka still cannot carry out diversion of the river water until all requisite permissions are obtained
Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Goa Forward President Vijai Sardesai sparred over the Supreme Court order on the Mhadei dispute.
While CM welcomed the Supreme Court’s order in the Mahadayi water dispute case against Karnataka, Vijai said it was a huge setback for the State.
According to the apex court, he said that Karnataka cannot divert the river water until all requisite permissions required to build the infrastructure for the project are obtained.
The Supreme Court, which was hearing a petition filed by the Goa government seeking an interim stay on the Central Water Commission’s nod to the controversial Kalasa-Banduri project, refused to grant the interim stay. But, the apex court also said that its previous order, which necessitates that Karnataka should take all necessary permissions from the authorities for the project, continued to be in force. This, according to Sawant, would safeguard the interest of Goa in the ongoing dispute.
“The honourable Supreme Court has reiterated that the directions in the award of the Mahadayi Tribunal to obtain all statutory permissions remain in force. The SC referred to its earlier order of March 2, 2022, which stated the same. This order is one more step towards safeguarding Goa’s interests & protecting our Mhadei (Mahadayi),” Sawant told reporters.
Goa Forward Party chief Vijai Sardesai has said the outcome of the hearing on Mhadei in the Supreme Court is a setback for Goa, with the court not giving relief to the State on any of the pleas made by the Goa government.
Slamming Chief Minister Pramod Sawant for taking the stand that the Supreme Court decision is a step towards protecting Goa’s interest and saving Mhadei, Sardesai said he had predicted that the BJP’s game plan is to ensure that the issue is put in cold storage till Karnataka goes for the Assembly polls before May end.
Justifying his stand that the hearing in the Supreme Court is a setback to Goa, Sardesai pointed out that Goa had approached the Apex Court with a plea to stop all works underway in Karnataka on the Mhadei river diversion. “There is no interim relief granted by the Supreme Court to stop the work, if any. When we went to Karnataka to find out the ground reality, we found work going on day in and out to divert the water” he said.
“We should find out why Goa had gone to the Supreme Court that the court should interfere with the Centre’s nod for the DPR. But, the court said it is not inclined to interfere,” he said.
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