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.
Siddaramaiah's letter received by Goa Chief Minister laxmikant Parsekar's office on Tuesday has requested the latter to fix a date by the month-end for the meeting, which was orally advocated by the Justice JM Panchal-headed Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal during a hearing on September 1 (this year).
“The three States are therefore committed to the talks and negotiations in exploring an amicable situation to the pending water disputes — without prejudice to their respective case before the Tribunal on merits,” Siddaramaiah has said in his formal communique to Parsekar. A similar letter has also been sent to the Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, official sources told The Pioneer.
"In view of this, on behalf of the riparian State of Karnataka, it would be my pleasure to host the first round of talks. I sincerely hope you would, in the true spirit of co-operation and collaboration, agree to your State participating in the talks," the letter also said, adding that the move from his end was in sync with the oral advise by the tribunal "that Chief Ministers of the three States may work out an amicable solution with or without the mediation of a third party".
Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra are currently battling a dispute over the controversial Kalsa-Bhandura dam project across the waters of the Mhadei river at a Central tribunal.
Mhadei also known as the Mandovi river, is a lifeline in the northern parts of the State. It originates in Karnataka and meets the Arabian Sea in Panaji in Goa, while briefly flowing through the territory of Maharashtra.
While the river runs 28.8 km in Karnataka, it is 81.2 km in length in Goa.
Karnataka aims to build seven dams at various points along the river, aimed with an objective to divert the flow into what it claims is the water-starved Malaprabha basin in North Karnataka.
Both, Goa Government and civil society groups in Goa have said that diverting the waters of the river would sound a death knell to the northern areas of the State, which are dependent on the river for fishing, irrigation and potable water supply.
But Siddaramaiah believes a middle ground could be found.
Goa Chief Minister Parsekar had in the recent past claimed that his Government was not interested in pursuing an out-of-court settlement, but last week mellowed his stance saying he was open to meeting the Chief Ministers of the neighbouring States to resolve the issue.
"I will make sure that Goa's interests are not compromised," Parsekar told The Pioneer.