Team Herald
PANJIM: The Save Mhadei Save Goa Front on Thursday alleged that the waters of the Mhadei River were being diverted for the steel lobby and that the Karnataka government’s claims about shortage of drinking water was a farce. Activists also called for all the different resistance forums to come together and fight against the water diversion.
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Historian and activist Prajal Sakhardande, a member of the Save Mhadei Save Goa Front, stated, “The stand of the Karnataka government has been exposed. On one side, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah goes to the Prime Minister repeatedly and says that drinking water is very important for Hubli-Dharward districts. But what about Kankumbi area? Is not the Karnataka CM responsible for these people of his own state?”
According to advocate Hrudaynath Shirodkar, the sugarcane lobby has now been replaced by the steel lobby. “People of Karnataka themselves have exposed as farce the argument that water is being diverted for drinking purposes. The steel lobby has purchased the governments, which is why Mhadei is being killed to ensure that interests of the lobby are protected.”
Sakhardande sounded a warning about what lies ahead, pointing out that once the water dries up, both environment and farming would likely be destroyed. “They have already built the dam at Kalsa. Now they are concentrating at Bhandura. People of Kanapur are with us and they are appealing that water should not be diverted. This is a crisis situation. The government of Goa should take cognisance of this,” he said.
Activist Mahesh Mhambrey spoke about the suffering of Goans due to the shortage of water. “Former CM, late Manohar Parrikar, had once made a statement that water will be given for 12 hours. Now, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant says that water will be given for four hours. But they are unable to provide water for even that time. Not only Goa, but entire Western Ghats is in danger.”
Shirodkar said that the time had come for all the resistance fronts – like Save Goa Save Mhadei Front, Goa Bachao Abhiyan and Kanapur Bachao Samiti – to come together and fight against the diversion of Mhadei waters.
