The Bombay High Court issued notice on a Public Interest Litigation seeking direction to the respondents to take immediate steps to start the inter district, river linking project to transfer the water from Konkan to Marathwada.
The petitioner, Shankar Ananda Nagare has made the following prayer:-
“B. By way of writ of Mandamus or any other appropriate writ, order or directions in the nature of writ of mandamus, the respondents may kindly be directed to take immediate steps to start the inter district, river linking project to transfer the water from Konkan to Marathwada without diverting water in any of the dam of Nashik region and further direct to complete the same within stipulated period to provide the water to Marathwada region and for that purpose issue necessary orders.
C. By way of writ of Mandamus or any other appropriate writ, order or directions in the nature of writ of mandamus, the respondents may kindly be directed not to take further steps for allowing to execute the M.O.U. with the National Water Development Agency for preparing detailed project reports to use the water for two river linking projects in Nashik area and for that purpose issue necessary orders.
D. By issuing writ of Mandamus or any other writ, order or directions in the like nature, direct the State Government to make special budgetary provisions for the Marathwada Region and to utilize the same only for development of the Marathwada and for that purpose issue necessary orders.
E. By issuing writ or appropriate directions in the nature, the respondent State may kindly be restrained from sanctioning any more project upstream Jayakwadi project in Godavari basin and for that purpose issue necessary orders.
F. By issuing writ or appropriate directions in the nature, the respondent authorities may kindly be directed not to proceed further as per the survey and estimate prepared by the National Water Development Agency to divert the water from river linking project upstream Jayakwadi project and for that purpose issue necessary orders,” it added.
The Aurangabad Bench comprising Justice Ravindra V. Ghuge and Justice Sanjay A. Deshmukh have perused the extensive report tendered by the Registrar (Judicial), dated 30.08.2022, specifically concluding that this petition constitutes a cause of action in public interest.
The office was, therefore, directed to register the petition as a public interest litigation petition.