Panaji, 22 July

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday informed the legislative Assembly that his government will file a contempt petition in the Supreme Court against State for trying to divert the Mahadayi river water.

The two adjoining coastal States are embroiled in a dispute over sharing the Mahadayi river water. The BJP-ruled Goa has accused the Congress-governed Karnataka of planning to divert the river water by constructing two dams.

The Mahadayi river originates in the Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary in State, and flows through Goa, and Maharashtra as it empties into the Arabian Sea at Panaji in Goa.

The Centre had set up a tribunal which decided on sharing the river water between the three riparian states -- Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra. Goa and Karnataka along with Maharashtra have appealed against the tribunal's order on sharing water by the three states in the Supreme Court, and the matter is sub-judice.

Opposition MLAs in the Goa assembly on Tuesday cornered the Pramod Sawant government in the House over its failure to stop Karnataka from conducting illegal activities.

Raising the issue, independent MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco sought to know the progress of the case pending before the apex court against the verdict of the tribunal on the share of Mahadayi river water.

Speaking on the issue, Sawant said Karnataka has been actively involved in activities aimed at diverting the Mahadayi river water.

"We cannot stop their activities as they are happening in their jurisdiction. But the Goa government has taken every step to counter their attempts to divert the Mahadayi water," he said.

The chief minister added that he had personally met Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav over the issue.

"The Union ministry (has assured that it) will not give any permission to Karnataka to conduct any such activities," he said.