PANJIM: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday said that it is not important that 30 people from Karnataka attended PRAWAH meetings in Karnataka and there were only three persons from Goa.
"There were only three people from Maharashtra also who met PRAWAH," he pointed out.
Sawant was replying to media queries that only three persons from Goa had gone with PRAWAH team while 30 people from Karnataka met PRAWAH Committee.
“What is important is PRAWAH had to go to Kankumbi and see the diversion into the Malaprabha river. I myself have seen the diversion,” Sawant added.
“It was I, as chief minister who filed the appeal before the Supreme Court and then again, which led to formation of PRAWAH. Our team has collected lot of information. Without Goa’s and PRAWAH’s consent, Karnataka cannot get approval (to divert the water),” Sawant asserted.
Stopping and dancing on top of our buses unfair: sawant
PANJIM: Reports have emerged that on the eve of PRAWAH members visit to Karnataka to inspect the Mhadei and Malaprabha river basins, Kannadigas stopped Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited (KTCL) buses in Belagavi and Hubbali and danced on top of the buses on Tuesday.
When asked about this incident, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that it was unfair and sought a report from the Director General of Police (DGP) and Chief Secretary and asked the latter to interact with his Karnataka counterpart.
“They did not damage our buses, but stopping them and dancing on top is not proper,” the Chief Minister remarked.
No consent to Karnataka without Goa & PRAWAH approval: CM
PANJIM: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday said that Karnataka will not be given approval to carry out any work related to Mhadei river without the consent of Goa and the Mhadei PRAWAH .
Speaking to reporters, the Chief Minister said, "The size of the team is not important. The quality of the report submitted by the team to the PRAWAH authority is."
He was responding to the allegations made by the opposition parties that Goa had sent only three member team to attend PRAWAH committee meeting held at Bengaluru while 30 member team from Karnataka attended the same. The Chief Minister said there was no point in sending the entire team of Water Resources Department (WRD) to attend the meeting as it is the quality which matters not the quantity.
He pointed out that a State like Maharashtra had sent only a four member team to attend the meeting.
The Chief Minister stressed that Goa government is making concerted efforts to make the Mhadei case strong legally and administratively.