THURSDAY, JUNE 27, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: The change in the seat of power in Karnataka has brought no solace to Goa and its people as the neighbouring State is firm on going ahead with the diversion of River Mhadei as per the announcement made by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in his budget.
In his budget speech on Friday, the Karnataka CM stated that his government will make efforts to commence the Kalasa-Bhandura nallah project works on river Mhadei after obtaining necessary forest clearance.
Mhadei Bachao Abhiyan convenor Nirmala Sawant said Siddaramaiah’s statement is with an embargo that is only after obtaining forest clearance.
She demanded that the Goa government should try and work hard and convince the Centre not to allow Karnataka to divert water from the deficit Mhadei basin.
“Today at the Centre and in Goa, the BJP is ruling and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant should ensure that Karnataka does not get the required permissions from the Ministry of Environment and Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC),” she said.
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Amit Patkar claimed that the party’s stand is very clear that whether in the Assembly or outside, the Congress party will not compromise on Mhadei, which is the lifeline of Goa.
He said, “We have been telling Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to lead an all-party delegation to Delhi and put pressure on the Prime Minister to withdraw the revised detailed project report (DPR) submitted by Karnataka and approved by the Central Water Commission (CWC). We are ready to go with the chief minister.”
Patkar recalled that Leader of the Opposition Yuri Alemao had also requested the Chief Minister and all other MLAs to resign and create a political crisis in the State in a bid to put pressure on the Government of India. He also recalled that after Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement at Belagavi that the Centre has resolved the water dispute between the two neighbouring States after consulting the Goa Chief Minister, the State Congress had passed a resolution to resume ‘Mhadei Jagor’ across Goa.
The Congress had also resolved to form a sub-committee headed by former Union Minister Ramakant Khalap to prepare a strategy to challenge the Centre’s decision in collaboration with other NGOs and stakeholders.
The Congress president ridiculed Goa BJP President Sadanand Shet Tanavade’s statement asking village panchayats and municipal councils to pass resolutions urging the Centre to withdraw the approved DPR submitted by Karnataka.
“Why can't the Goa BJP convince the Centre and get it withdrawn?”Patkar asked.
Save Mhadei Save Goa convenor Adv Hrudaynath Shirodkar said, “Our fight is with Karnataka government irrespective of which party is in power there. Our stand is very clear that we will not compromise on the Mhadei River.”
He appealed to the Centre not to grant forest clearances to Karnataka in the larger interest of Goa.
He said that if Karnataka is allowed to divert Goa then it will spell doom for Goa.
AAP state convenor Amit Palekar demanded that the State Congress should come clear on their stand on Mhadei River.
“We want to know whether Congress is with Goans and not with Karnataka. The interest of the people of Goa should be supreme and Congress should try to persuade the Karnataka government not to go ahead with the diversion of Mhadei waters,” Palekar said.
“It is Goa Govt's duty to prevent diversion of Mhadei waters, and now they can easily do it, with the help of the Centre. But, they have clearly shown everyone that they are slaves of the coal corporations, who also want Mhadei’s waters for the steel factories where the coal is going. Unless we break the chains of slavery of Goa government to coal, Goa will remain a colony of the Western countries, and Mhadei will continue to be betrayed by a government that obeys foreign interests,” Abhijit Prabhudesai, a member of Federation of Rainbow Warriors
