SC: Status quo on Narmada water

While refusing to direct the lowering of water levels of the Omkareshwar dam on river Narmada from 190 to 189 metres, the Supreme Court has instead ordered the authorities to maintain status quo.

The Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan said there cannot be an interim order to reduce the level of water, even as the Madhya Pradesh Government and the Narmada Hydro-Electric Development Corporation urged the court to reduce the level from 190 to 189 metres.

However, senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan and Sanjay Parikh appearing for Narmada Bachao Andolan strongly opposed the petition of the state Government.