Team Herald
panjim: BJP Goa has accused Goa Congress of fooling the people on the Mhadei water diversion. BJP State President Sadanand Shet Tanavade, while addressing a press conference at the party headquarters on Wednesday, emphasized that the government is serious on the issue.
“The State has fled contempt on the illegal diversion of water by Karnataka. Since the beginning, BJP is serious on the issue. As and when they (Karnataka) resort to violation, we take legal recourse. Congress is fooling the people of Goa because when it was in the ruling, they were responsible for the fiasco,” he said.
Tanavade, who was accompanied by ex-MP Narendra Sawaikar reiterated that the State is optimistic to win the battle in Goa’s favour.
“I believe we will get justice. We are ensuring no injustice is meted out to Goa as Mhadei is our lifeline,” the party president added.
The ruling party has also condemned the Opposition for statements criticizing the government on the issue.
“We have submitted our detailed contention in the contempt petition before the Supreme Court. The government is serious on the matter and we are ensuring that we will get justice,” Sawaikar said.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, on Monday had blamed then Congress-led government for failing to object to basin utilisation of Mhadei water by the riparian States.
He had further alleged that the crucial issue of diversion of water from Mhadei basin to Malprabha basin was deleted from the original complaint; and that the then Congress CM and Maharashtra CM mutually agreed to take up the dam on Haltar /Virdi nallah as a joint venture between both the states in April 2006.
The Congress, a day later on Tuesday, clarified that the deletion two clauses from the original memorandum was necessary to constitute the Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal.
