Panaji (Goa) Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar today assured that Government will neither compromise on the State interest nor on the trans-basin diversion, proposed by Karnataka, which is pending before the Mhadei Water Dispute Tribuna.

“I stand by my letter. My letter is perfect legally. And I have taken all the interest of Goan into confidence. It is without prejudice. It only says that we are ready to have bilateral talk for reasonable quantum of water in the parameters of the tribunal, who had suggested to try and work out amicable solution in 2015” Parrikar told reporters.

He said that Goa’s main objection before the tribunal is trans-basin diversion. “Mhadei is a deficit basin and hence we have objected to the same before Tribunal. We are not going to compromise on that issue. That is the matter before tribunal. Something before tribunal will not be compromised at any cost,” he assured.

Stating that he has just agreed for talks and not release of water, Parrikar said that the current issue of Mhadei is only of trans-basin diversion. He said that nearly 35 kms river flow in Karnataka, 16 kms in Maharashtra and 52 kms in Goa.