Media Release
 
Panaji, Nov 30: The state will have to plead their case for framing of appropriate issues regarding their objection to the Karnataka Irrigation Project before the tribunal. The Central Government, has not laid down any terms of reference in cases of tribunals constituted in the country so far and therefore in Mhadei case also the government has not fixed any terms of reference, stated Pawan Kumar Bansal to MP Shantaram Naik.

Bansal organized a meeting in his office at Parliament House which was attended by Bansal, Naik, secretary for Water Resource U N Panjiar and commissioner of project who deals with Mhadei Project A B Pandya.
 
Bansal told MP Naik that all the pleas of the parties will be sent to the tribunal which will then look into the various aspect of the dispute.

Normally the tribunal deals with the distribution of water. However, since it is the case of Goa that Karnataka is attempting to obstruct the flow of river water, Goa can  plead for the removal of obstruction.

Panjiar told MP Naik that in case of Inquiry Commissions, terms of reference are specifically laid down by the government but, tribunal being a judicial body, framing of appropriate issues are left to them.

MP Naik in a statement issued from New Delhi, after his meeting with Bansal, stated that Goa government lawyers will have to effectively plead before the tribunal so that tribunal holds proper inquiry into the very legality of the construction of dam by Karnataka state.

It may be recalled that MP Naik had earlier through his letter and subsequent meeting with Bansal had expressed apprehension that if proper terms of reference to meet Goa’s objection to the project are not framed, tribunal will not serve any purpose as far as Goa is concerned.

The Chief Minister of Goa Digamber Kamat was to join MP Naik in today’s meeting but he had to cancel his visit to New Delhi at the last moment.

On the issue of Special Economic Zones, MP Naik said that Union Commerce Minister Anand Sharma is abroad and he will be returning tonight. He will meet Sharma in a day or two to request him to denotify the three notified SEZs in Goa in view of the fact that the Panaji Bench of Bombay High Court has disposed of the petition pending on the subject, on account of which , Commerce Ministry had deemed it fit not to denotify the three SEZs.

MP Naik stated that since the developers are not having any land, the three SEZ proposals are deemed to stand de facto denotified, and that, only formal notification have to be issued by the government.