BELAGAVI: Members of the Joint Inspection Committee (JIC), who will look into complaints related to the diversion of water via Kalasa nala at the Mahadayi project site in Kankumbi, inspected the site on Friday.Following a complaint raised by the Goa Government, the Supreme Court had issued an order to form the committee.
The committee visited the site and held a marathon meeting on various issues related to the project. The apex court has given the committee four weeks to submit a comprehensive report on whether water was diverted via Kalasa nala in violation of the order. Accordingly, the JIC is expected to submit its report before the case comes up for hearing on April 4.
The issue raked up bad press when a section of media persons from Goa raised a stink when they were allegedly stopped from going to the project site when the committee arrived. Prudent Media, from Goa, tweeted, “Karnataka police restricted the entry of Goan officers, Water Resources Department technical staff and environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar all from Goa from entering the project site when the inspection was carried out by JIC. The ID cards of the officers were also confiscated by police, only to be returned after fiery arguments.’’ Media persons and leaders from Karnataka were restrained as well from going near the site.
“Other than members of the committee, nobody else in allowed on the site,” said police personnel at the site. Karnataka Water Resources Department sources claimed that no water was diverted via Kalasa nala ever since the SC issued orders to raise a wall to check the flow of water inside the nala.