Karnataka, Goa CMs should talk to resolve Mahadayi dispute: Union minister Pralhad Joshi
Panaji: Union minister Pralhad Joshi on Monday said the chief ministers of Karnataka and Goa should sit and negotiate to resolve the Mahadayi water dispute issue.
Karnataka and Goa have been locked in a bitter battle over sharing of water of the Mahadayi river, which originates at Belagavi in the southern state.
When asked about the dispute, Joshi said the Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal has already given its order, but governments of both the states are unhappy and have moved the Supreme Court to challenge it.
"That's why I said it is better that the chief ministers concerned sit and talk, and try to resolve the issue. I have requested the Karnataka CM and will also request the Goa CM to have a negotiated settlement," he told reporters here.
The Union parliamentary affairs, coal and mines minister was addressing the media persons to inform about some of the bold decisions taken by the BJP-led NDA government during its last 100 days in office.
Asked if Karnataka has started construction of a dam on the river, Joshi said there is no question of any state carrying out such work.
"Since the matter is in the tribunal, no government can do anything on that and no government is allowed to violate law of the land, and nobody is doing that...no work is going on as far as my knowledge goes," the Lok Sabha member from Dharwad in Karnataka said.
In August last year, the tribunal, hearing the dispute among three riparian states of Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra over sharing of water from the river, allotted 13.42 TMC (including 3.9 TMC for diversion into the depleted Malaprabha river basin) from the Mahadayi river basin to Karnataka, while Maharashtra was allotted 1.33 TMC.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant in July this year said his government has already filed a disobedience application against Karnataka before the tribunal for injunction by way of diverting the Mahadayi river water to the Malaprabha basin.
A contempt petition has also been filed before the Supreme Court against Karnataka's violation, he said.
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Unruly scenes witnessed in Punjab Assembly
Chandigarh (PTI): The Punjab Assembly on Friday witnessed high drama on Friday after Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira made an allegedly objectionable remark against Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann during an intense argument over the alleged use of mobile phone in the house by the legislator.
During the one-day special session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha here, Mann accused Khaira of using a mobile phone when Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan was reading out an official resolution on the revision of wages.
After rising from his seat, the chief minister pointed to the speaker, claiming that Khaira is busy on his mobile phone and urged him to ask the Congress MLA what Sandhwan had said about the resolution.
The speaker then asked Khaira to maintain order in the house and listen to the resolution carefully.
Mann then asked Khaira, "Why don't you go out and then use it (mobile phone)," which led to a strong verbal altercation during which the opposition MLA hurled an accusation against the chief minister. Meanwhile, the speaker appealed for order and insisted that the chair be addressed.
However, both Mann and Khaira continued arguing and could be seen pointing fingers at each other as the proceedings of the house were disrupted.
The AAP MLAs also rose from their seats with Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema condemning Khaira for his conduct and demanded action against him.
Cheema further alleged that Khaira "always tries to disturb the house" as he spoke about his conduct in the assembly.
The incident occurred as an official resolution on the revision of wages was presented at the special session by Labour Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond who said it paid homage to labourers on the International Workers' Day.
"Workers are the axis of construction of the nation, the community, the state and society. Every construction project succeeds only through their blood and sweat," the resolution read.
As per the resolution, "The base rate of minimum wages for the working class in Punjab was last revised in the year 2012. Although the dearness allowance has continued to increase since 2012, there has been no increase in the base rate of minimum wages.
On this sacred occasion of May Day, in this special session of the legislative assembly, this house proposes to revise and increase the minimum wages of labourers and strongly recommends to the government to take a decision regarding the increase of minimum wages for workers, so that the contributions of the workers can be acknowledged." PRK
