Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The Bombay High Court has refused to grant a stay on the decision of releasing water in Godavari basin for Marathwada from the upstream dams in Ahmednagar and Nashik districts. The next hearing on the petition will be held on December 5.
It is learnt that Rajabhau Tungar Sahakari Upsa Sinchan Sanstha Maryadit (Nashik), on behalf of Nashik district, filed a petition in the Bombay High Court requesting not to allow releasing of water for Marathwada from the upstream dams of Jayakwadi Project. When the petition came up for hearing on Monday, Adv Ram Aapte (representing the petitioner on behalf of Nashik district) and Adv Nitin Gaware
(on behalf of Ahmednagar district) stated that the decision to release the water has been taken on the basis of data belonging to the year 2012-13. Hence it is wrong to use the old data. Moreover, the state government, in July 2023, had constituted a group of experts to study the situation and they will be submitting their observation report by November-end. Hence, the decision of releasing water has been taken before receiving the report of the experts group. Hence the releasing of water should be stayed. Adv Abhinandan Vagyani and Adv Chaitrali Deshmukh represented GMIDC; Adv Yashodeep Deshmukh who voiced on behalf of Marathwada Janta Vikas Parishad (which had filed intervention plea) and Marathwada Pani Hak Parishad (MPHP) brought into notice of the High Court that there is a spell of drought in Marathwada. The decision of releasing water from upstream dams was taken discussing the matter with experts of Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority and reviewing the formula of Mendhegiri Committee relating to the quantity of water to be released in Godavari basin.
After hearing the statements of both the parties, the High Court gave the above verdict. The president of MPHP Narahari Shivpure, Prashant Jadhav (Executive Engineer, Jayakwadi) Dr Jaysingh Hire and Dhondiram Kasle were also present on the occasion.
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Meanwhile, MPHP has urged the GMIDC to release the water in the Godavari basin soon. The order of the High Court has paved a way for the people of Marathwada to get its rightful share of water.