Team Herald
PANJIM: The diversion of the Mhadei waters is a sure-shot recipe for disaster. After environmentalists in Karnataka flagged off the the danger posed by the Kalasa-Bhandura projects, their counterparts in Goa have endorsed their stance, saying that any move to change the course of the waters will have a severe ecological fallout in the region.
Dilip Kamat, an environmentalist from Karnataka has said that the diversion of Mhadei water from Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka, Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary in Goa and Maharashtra’s forests will adversely affect 500 sqkm of biodiverse forest in southwest of Khanapur taluka and may turn it barren.
Speaking to O Heraldo, environmentalist Claude Alvares said, “Forget environmentalists, any normal person will say that if you divert water from one irrigated area to another, the former will become dry and barren. Forests are an underground water source and if you channelise the water and take it directly to some other place then the vegetation will automatically die.”
“Politicians nowadays do not understand basic environmental science. Even a common man will tell you that vegetation will die if you divert water. So we are glad and we hope that people of Karnataka will not be fooled by the politicians and use their common sense. The diversion is not only going to be destructive for Goa but it is going to be destructive for Karnataka as well.
It is a very good message which has come today from environmental activists from Karnataka. I am glad that they have courage to come out and speak even if next time they become unpopular in Karnataka. But at least they have courage and conviction to come out with a statement like this,” he said.
Advocate Hrudaynath Shirodkar, convenor of Save Mhadei Save Goa Front said, “They have made the correct statement. Entire Western Ghat is dependent on Mhadei. If Mhadei is diverted then definitely not only Goa but the entire West Coast and Western Ghats is going to be affected. We endorse whatever they have said. Mhadei should not be diverted anywhere. It should flow as per its course.”
Rajan Ghate, another environmentalist said, “The fact is that the Goa government is helping Karnataka in diverting the water of Mhadei. For so many years Rajendra Kerkar and Nirmala Sawant have been fighting for the cause. But the government is not listening to them. We are begging for our rights before Karnataka and Maharashtra governments. What we require is the declaration of a Tiger Reserve. Once it is done, the problem will automatically be solved. Nothing will be left if Mhadei water is diverted. It must be remembered that there are some rivers which are solely dependent on the Mhadei water.”