Bengaluru: The Supreme Court on Monday allowed the State government to file a fresh petition with the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal. It asked the government to provide fresh and accurate data in its new petition.
Supreme Court passed this order while hearing a special leave petition (SLP) filed by Karnataka seeking an interim order from the tribunal for sharing of river water to tackle drinking water crisis in towns of north Karnataka.

The State government represented by senior counsel Fali S. Nariman had moved the Supreme Court with an SLP after the tribunal dismissed its petition seeking release of 7 tmcft of water for the Kalasa-Banduri Nala drinking water project in August last year.

Water Resources Minister M B Patil said the government would discuss the issue elaborately and approach the tribunal again seeking release of 7 tmcft from the Mahadayi. The SLP was filed after an all-party meeting was convened by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah following the tribunal’s order.  Siddaramaiah had urged the Centre to intervene to resolve the dispute amicably.

It may be recalled that a delegation, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah,  met Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week  and reiterated its request for his intervention in arriving at an amicable solution. However, Modi did not give any assurance.