Karnataka Water Resources Minister M B Patil today charged Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar with "trying to bluff people" on the issue of sharing of the Mahadayi river water between the two states.
He said Karnataka is seeking release of 7.56 TMC of water from the river.
"We are clear, we are asking for our right. He (Parrikar) says water cannot be given. He (Parrikar) is taking a dual stance, political stance, trying to bluff people", the minister, who was on an official visit here, told PTI.
Karnataka has locked horns with the neighbouring Goa on sharing the Mahadayi river water. It is seeking release of 7.56 tmc for the Kalasa-Bhanduri Nala project.
The project is being undertaken to improve water supply to the twin cities of Hubballi-Dharwad and districts of Belagavi and Gadag.
Parrikar said yesterday that sharing the water of the Mahadayi river with other states was "inevitable".
"One has to understand that 52 kms of the river runs through Goa, 35 kms through Karnataka and 16 kms through Maharashtra. As such, sharing of water of the Mahadayi river is inevitable as it is passing through all the three states," he had said.
"If someone thinks Karnataka will not get a share out of the tribunal judgement, I think he is living in a fool's paradise," the Goa Chief Minister had said.
"But at the same time, Karnataka cannot take or divert water from the Mahadayi basin to another basin. They have to use it for drinking purposes or utilise it within the basin," he had added.
Parrikar had said the issue before the Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal is about diversion of water from the basin.
Parrikar added that the issue currently before the tribunal is "to ascertain whether the Mahadayi basin is deficit or not."
He said as per the Interstate River Water Dispute Act, one cannot divert water from a deficit basin to another basin.
"We have proved it with documentary evidence that the Mahadayi basin is a deficit one," he added.
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