PANJIM: Former Union Minister Ramakant Khalap on Monday urged the State government to take up the Mhadei issue before the Centre and to put up a united fight to preserve the River Mhadei.
Speaking to mediapersons on the sidelines of Goa Legislators’ Day function at Porvorim, Khalap said that impact of Mhadei water diversion will be serious and affect the environment, ecology, forest and wildlife. He said that saline water from Arabian Sea will flow up to Western Ghats making the entire river Mandovi saline and affect paddy cultivation, gardens, horticulture and green cover.
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Khalap cautioned that the State is in Catch-22 situation and its future is in danger the way the Central and Karnataka governments are looking at the Mhadei issue. Also both the major political parties – BJP and Congress in Karnataka are trying to make it an issue during the forthcoming elections. Mhadei River is Goa’s lifeline, he said.
The former minister said that those who are close to powers at the Centre should take up this issue with whoever it is possible for them to take it. He further said that he raised the issue at the world conference on Marathi at Pune and now it has reached to Goans residing in 120 countries across the world.
