PONDA: Marcaim MLA Ramakrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar on Wednesday challenged Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to swear in an affidavit stating that his government will not allow Mhadei water diversion by Karnataka.
Attempting to prove that Sawant is paying only lip service to the Mhadei issue, MGP leader said, “Sawant had many times said that Mhadei is like mother to him and that not a drop of water would be allowed to be diverted by Karnataka. I will quit politics if Sawant swears in an affidavit stating that his government will not allow Mhadei water to be diverted by Karnataka.”
Addressing the media here, Dhavalikar challenged the Central as well as State governments to ensure that 100 per cent of Mhadei River flows into Goa from Karnataka.
“Already 27 percent of water is diverted by Karnataka, but Mhadei is the lifeline of Goa. So, if the Central government withdraws the environment clearance given to Karnataka and Sawant submits an affidavit in court and on the floor of Goa Assembly that he will not allow even a drop of water from being diverted by Karnataka, I will quit the politics forever,” he said.
Meanwhile, after launching an agitation at Usgao to protest water diversion, Dhavalikar has now decided to launch another agitation for Khandepar River which is a tributary of Mhadei flowing into Goa.
He appealed the locals of Ponda and various parts of Goa to join the protest rally that will begin from January 26 from Opa Khandepar junction to Dattamandir.
On the occasion environmentalist Rajendra Desai would deliver a talk on Mhadei River and environment.
Dhavalikar said that in case Goa fails to stop water diversion, it would badly affect Opa plant as in summer, during high tide, saline water would enter into OPA pumping station affecting the water supply.
