After battling out the Mhadei inter-State water dispute in a Central Government tribunal for years, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has offered to play host to Goa and Maharashtra Chief Ministers in his home State in a bid to find an amicable out-of-court settlement. “The Honorable judges have also clarified, as informed, that the Chief Ministers of three states may work out an amicable solution with or without the mediation of third party”, says Siddaramaiah in the letter.
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“. on behalf of the riparian state of Karnataka, it would be my pleasure to host the first round of talks”.
Advocating the need for the states to resolve the inter-state disputes with the spirit of brotherhood, the Tribunal headed by justice JM Panchal said that “in the spirit of brotherhood in a federal system, an amicable solution could be worked out”. The letter dated September 6 also requests Parsekar to instruct Goa chief secretary R K Srivastava to finalize the date of the meeting with the Karnataka chief secretary.
He hoped that with true spirit of co-operation and collaborationthe two other states agree to participate in the talks.
Karnataka government, which has locked horns with the neighbouring Goa on the larger issue of sharing Mahadayi River water between both the states, had petitioned the tribunal seeking the release of 7.56 tmcft of water for the Kalasa-Banduri Nala project. It originates in Karnataka and meets the Arabian Sea in Panaji in Goa, while briefly flowing through the territory of Maharashtra.
Following the interim order, tension had gripped most parts of northern Karnataka as protests turned violent on July 28 during which government offices were attacked and public property was damaged.
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Rescinding his statement last month that Goa was against an out-of-court settlement, Parsekar this week said Goa was open to talks with Karnataka. Karnataka wants to build canals to link its tributaries-Kalasa and Banduri-to divert water to the Malaprabha river basin.
