Will fight Mhadei battle through technical, legal and political means: CM

Blames previous Congress govt for not highlighting ‘Karnataka’s sinister designs’ on Mhadei; Sawant govt pulls out stops to quell people’s uprising against diversion of Mhadei waters; fields ministers to brief press followed by CM’s live television address
Will fight Mhadei battle through technical, legal and political means: CM
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PANJIM: On the eve of a significant and massive people’s rally against the proposed diversion of Mhadei waters, an extremely cautious and wary Pramod Sawant government pulled out all stops, to state that it was together in this fight with the people. In the afternoon, the government fielded senior ministers to speak to the press followed by the Chief Minister himself taking the rare step to give a televised address to the people.

Two ministers Subhash Shirodkar and Mauvin Godinho and independent MLA Chandrakant Shetye addressed the media on Mhadei River. Three other Ministers Vishwajit Rane, Sudin Dhavalikar and Nilesh Cabral didn’t appear for the briefing though they were scheduled to.

In his 20-minute virtual address, Sawant said that his government will successfully handle the Mhadei battle through legal, technical, and political means. Asserting that despite petitions in Supreme Court by NGO (Mhadei Bachao Abhiyan) and several other hurdles, he said that he has urged the Centre to constitute Mhadei Water Management Authority and to withdraw the approval granted to Karnataka’s Detailed Project Report (DPR) for Kalasa-Bandura Dam project.

Sawant said that the State government (Congress), which was in power during 2008-2012 failed to bring to the notice of the Apex Court Karnataka’s sinister designs of carrying out construction works to divert Mhadei water.     

Referring to the coming of opposition parties, the Chief Minister remarked that none of these leaders were involved in Mhadei battle and were now trying it for their political existence.  

Sawant said that his government managed to solve the problems of two Ms i.e. Mining and Mopa, and exuded confidence that his government will be equally successful in handling the issue of the third M i.e. Mhadei. The Mhadei Water Management Authority is essential as it will solve the water requirement of the State for the next 50 to 100 years; he said expressing confidence that Goa will get justice in the Supreme Court.

He reiterated that his govt has asked the Centre to withdraw the approval given to Karnataka DPR and also set up Mhadei Water Management Authority to ensure that none of the riparian States indulge in actions leading to depletion of the flow of water in Mhadei basin.

Earlier, Water Resources Minister Subhash Shirodkar said that he has also apprised Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat that if Mhadei’s water is diverted then it will affect UNESCO-listed Western Ghats and also destroy six wildlife sanctuaries including Bhimgad Sanctuary situated in Karnataka. He said that Goa has strongly opposed any move to divert water outside the Mhadei basin.

“If opposition had attended all-party meeting convened by the government, we would have joined them in supporting Monday’s public meeting,” Sawant said.

Herald Goa
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