The Goans who know the importance of the river Mhadei in the life, livelihood of Goans and its importance in ecology and environment are approaching all panchayats and municipalities of Tiswadi individually and explaining to them how critical the situation can become in Goa, if the river Mhadei headwaters are taken away by the Karnataka government.
An appeal has also been presented to the Mayor of Panjim and various sarpanchas. This group has been consistently meeting maximum number of people to spread the message of possible threats to Goa’s lifeline Mhadei river if its waters go to Karnataka.
Over 50% of Goans are dependent for their livelihood on this river waters for it flows mostly through Goa. If its waters are diverted Goans depending on Mhadei’s waters will face miserable scenarios on several counts.
Memorandums have been handed over to local bodies and appeals have gone out for the facts to be presented to locals and the issue has been discussed in gram sabhas in special meetings. Efforts are also on to make the government of Goa take the issue seriously since river Mhadei waters rightfully belong to Goa –morally and legally.
In this respect this group of Goans want the government to notify/convert the existing Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary into a Tiger Reserve too for Karnataka is capable of having many tricks to divert water as it can from the Mhadei headwaters basin so that only some of it flows through Goa to eventually dry up the Mandovi river.
All churches, temples, mosques, schools, associations, clubs, NGOs and other Goan establishments have been approached, the situation explained to them and they have been asked to pass resolutions to the effect that the Goa government should not under any circumstance permit Karnataka to carry out major works to divert the flow of the Mhadei from Goa to Karnataka. Instead efforts should be made to declare a Tiger Reserve so that both states will benefit for forested areas create and conserve water resources.
Finally, copies of resolutions passed should be sent to Goa’s Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and the Chief Secretary of Goa at the Secretariat, at Porvorim. The matter is now coming up for hearing in the Supreme Court in July 2023.
Thanks to this group of which Rajan Savlo Ghate is a key member, the message to turn the Mhadei river-Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary into a Tiger Reserve and corridor, is going out loud and clear. A string of events have been highlighting the importance of the river Mhadei-river Mandovi to Goa and at no cost says Rajan Ghate and other group members, the Mhadei river be donated to Karnataka. Every Goan who cares should act fast to reach out to their political representatives and send in their local resolutions towards this end.
This initiative has been going on for notifying Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary into the Tiger Reserve for the present and posterity of our land. Presently, on the issue of tiger corridor the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has questioned Karnataka and asked for the explanation. Karnataka is trying its level best to get environment clearances for Kalasa-Bhandura project. If we want to stop Karnataka’s onward march, there is need to declare Mhadei as a Tiger Reserve. The natural flow of water of the Mhadei is needed not only for the human being but also for the wildlife, ecology and environment of the small state of Goa.
