By IANS,
New Delhi : Asking the government to play a proactive role in defusing inter-state water disputes, the Supreme Court Monday chided it for taking too long to allot accommodation here to a water tribunal’s chief.
The apex court bench of Justice R.M. Lodha and Justice Anil R. Dave nudged the government during the hearing on a petition seeking government accommodation for former apex court judge J.M. Panchal who heads the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal to settle conflicting claims between Goa and Karnataka.
The government must play a “proactive role in defusing the situation. Therefore, the seriousness must be there”, the court observed, adding that “they are statutory tribunals they have to function. More so in case of water disputes”.
Attorney General G.E. Vahanvati told the court that allotment of accommodation to Panchal was taking time as there was a particular procedure to be followed.
Unconvinced by the submission made by the attorney general, Justice Lodha said one could understand time constraints if different ministries were located in Delhi, Chennai or Kolkata. But here all the ministries are located within an area of five kilometres.
“We don’t expect you to do things in 24 hours. But then it should be done. The Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal was constituted a year back and there is no justification that it remains non-operational for a year,” the court said.