'Submergence studies in Tapi not proper for Krishna': Karnataka

New Delhi, Nov 6 (UNI) Karnataka today contested the method of juxtapositioning of Tapi backwater submergence in silted and unsilted conditions for determining the areas for backwater submergence in Alamatti reservoir on Krishna river and said the two rivers in Deccan Plateau flowed in opposite directions and there could not be common methodology for evolving submergence.

Arguing before the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT-II) headed by Justice Brijesh Kumar for the fourth successive day, senior Karnataka counsel Fali S Nariman found fault with Central Water Commission (CWC) for insisting the states to follow the principles and methods adopted in Tapi for determining the submgence areas. Tapi was a west flowing river whereas Krishna was a eest flowing river and terrain, flow and direction were totally different, he contended.

He said there were three studies posed by Maharashtra to the KWDT and one by Karnataka on the backwater submergence caused by Alamatti reservoir. There was a joint survey conducted by the two states which was before the Central Water Commission (CWC). Only two experts -- Mr Shukla of Maharashtra and Dr Rangarajan for Karnataka faced cross examinations before the Tribunal. "It would have been better if others too were cross-examined and the Tribunal would have benefitted by understanding their rationale and calculations for arriving at their conclusions. But they were never put before the Tribunal," Mr Nariman lamented.

It was the CWC, he said, which wanted the states to follow methods adopted in Tapi for determining the submergence in the undulated terrains of both silted and unsilted conditions. "If you ask me why Tapi? The only answer I have is -- CWC wants it," he said.

Mr Shukla during cross-examination in the KWDT-II had stated that he had 'partly relied' on the calculations of Mr Garde, a Pune based hydrology expert for arriving at the conclusion that about 50 km of Maharashtra would get submerged when Alamatti is filled to the brim at 519 metre level under silted conditions. He had confessed before the Tribunal that relying totally on Mr Garde's calculations would have caused 'much more serious submergence' in Maharashtra.

"If he (Mr Shukla) is correct, why did he choose to alter the methodology that limited submergence only 50 km in Maharashtra and 100 km or much more? We are not asking him to do any favour to Karnataka. Who stopped him from adopting Mr Garde's calculations to go a whole hog against Karnataka to prove his point?" he asked.

"Nothing has been proved or rationale given for the apprehensions," he remarked.

Mr Nariman said all the studies had accpted one common thing that the submergence in Alamatti under unsilted conditions would be limited within Karnataka.

The Karnataka expert had used Tapi methodology of finding the average of deepest points in the undulated riverbed and in the dam to show how the state was proof of how the submergence would be within Karnataka territory in both silted and unsilted conditions even when the dams were full be it frl of 519 or even 524 metre levels.

Alamatti was located 202 km downstream of Krishna river from the last Maharashtra point, he pointed out.

The Karnataka counsel will continue the arguments tomorrow also.

UNI MCN PK HT1910