From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Dec 16: A 13-member Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal will be touring north Karnataka from December 18 to 23.

The panel headed by Justice J M Panchal will be inspecting the progress of work on the long-pending Kalasa-Banduri Nala project, which has been opposed by the Goa government.

The Tribunal was set up resolve the dispute with regard to sharing of Mahadayi water between Karnataka and Goa.

Karnataka’s Water Resources Minister M B Patil informed reporters in Bangalore on Monday that the Justice Panchal would arrive in the State on Tuesday and visit Kotni and Bandura as well as Supa dam and power house and also the Malaprabha basin.

The team would call on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bangalore on December 23.

''We are going to present convincing arguments with facts and figures justifying the necessity for implementing the Kalasa-Banduri Nala project before the tribunal and have already taken necessary measures to ensure that our interests are protected,” Patil said.

The State planned to utilize 24 tmc ft of water by constructing project.

The State Government would follow the legal route by presenting its case before the tribunal and make an appeal to the tribunal to give green signal for the project as it was taken up for meeting drinking water requirement.

The Minister declared that the State Government was determined to implement the project.

Legal experts would put a strong defense before the tribunal convincing the need of the implementation of the project, Patil added.