From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Jul 25: The final verdict by the Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal is expected to be delivered next month.

Given the long-standing agitations by the drought-stricken people of North Karnataka, the state government is expecting favourable verdict with regard to sharing of Mahadayi waters with Goa.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on Wednesday, July 25, Karnataka’s Water Resources minister D K Shivakumar said the state government has given all documents, including photographs on using water by Goa, to the tribunal to seek justice in water sharing.

Meanwhile, the Goa government has decided to move the Tribunal against Karnataka’s alleged act of diverting the Mahadayi river water to its Malaprabha basin.

A team of officials from Goa visited Karnataka’s Kanakumbi village, located in the Malaprabha basin adjoining the state’s border, on Monday and confirmed that the Mahadayi river water was being diverted, Goa’s Water Resources Minister Vinod Palyekar said in Goa on July 23.

However, Shivakumar said the state government would fight the battle with neighbouring Goa within legal limits.

“Goa is a small state and we are not interested to fight legal battle with Goa,” he said.

He made it clear that Karnataka has not been entirely utilizing the water from Mahadayi river.

Shivakumar said the state government has evidence to prove that Goa was utilizing the water.

The state government is hoping to get favourable verdict from the tribunal next month, he said.