Panaji: In a major setback to Goa government, the Centre has declined to grant permission to Additional Solicitor General Atmaram Nadkarni to appear on behalf of Goa before the Mhadei water dispute tribunal (MWDT), who is hearing inter-state water dispute between Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra.
Union Minister for Water Resources Nitin Gadkari has communicated to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar with regards to State letter seeking permission to Nadkarni to represent the State before the tribunal, in an application filed by the State.
“It is to state that the Central government is a neutral party to the river water disputes among the party States and therefore, it would be inappropriate for Central government to permit Additional Solicitor General to represent a particular State for inter state river disputes,” Gadkari said.
Goa government had in August filed a disobedience application against Karnataka before the MWDT for injunction by way of diverting the water of Mhadei River to Malaprabha basin. For the same, Government has sought centre’s permission to allow Nadkarni to represent the State.
Nadkarni has been representing Goa before tribunal since 2012.
