PANAJI: Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal, New Delhi, followed the precedent set by the Apex court in the Cauvery dispute case nearly six month ago, stressing on fulfillment on economic and social needs of people and allocating water share to the co-basin states of Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra.Soon after the tribunal verdict, environmentalists in Goa had questioned the basis on which Karnataka was permitted to divert water from the Mhadei basin. Environmentalists were of the view that Karnataka would not have got 13.4 TMC feet of water as its plea demanding diversion of water to Malaprabha was rejected by the same tribunal in 2017.While blaming the three states for not suggesting methods to be adopted for equitable apportionment of waters, the adjudicators referred to the Supreme Court judgment delivered in February 2018. The tribunal noted that the Apex court has emphasized on factors including the economic and social needs of each basin state, the population dependent on the waters of the basin in each basin state, the availability of other resources for allocation of water.In its order, the tribunal held that the information made available by the party states are not at all adequate to examine the various factors identified for arriving at the reasonable and equitable share as identified in Article V of the Helsinki Rule and the relevant articles of the International Law Association, Berlin Conference. Then, the tribunal proceeded to allocate the water share in view of the Supreme Court judgment which stated that the National Water Policy sustains the concept of basin state as contemplated in the ( Helsinki Rules, Campione Rules and Berlin Rules) international rules.After adjudicating the matter, the tribunal has suggested certain measures considering the inconsistencies of the data submitted by the riparian states by adopting different criteria.“Most of the experts considered hydrology as an inexact science and chose to deviate from the guidelines issued by the ministry of water resources and adopted an approach of their own likings. This has led to considerable variation in the process of assessment of water availability,” the tribunal said.It stated that the national water informatics centre created by the ministry of water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation is expected to provide a ‘single window’ source of updated data on water resources and allied themes. The agency shall also provide value added products and services to all stakeholders for its management and sustainable development.

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