River Navigation Minister Ramakrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar on Monday told the House that it was the then Laxmikant Parsekar government that granted permission for the national waterways project, overruling his and the former government’s decision objecting to it.
The Minister said that the first proposal from the Centre was placed before the State in October 2008. “Banking on a State Committee report dated 1996 that had requested government not to develop the waterways, I had that time raised some queries and given a negative remark,” he said.
The project in 2008 claimed signing of agreement for a period of five years, with the Centre spending Rs 500 crore on development of the water bodies, he said.
“Accordingly, I raised the matter before then Chief Minister Digambar Kamat in June 2011 and the matter was debated on the floor of the House in December 2011. Manohar Parrikar was the leader of opposition that time. The House was unanimous in deciding not to allow the Centre to interfere into State waters unless there is active participation of the State government,” Dhavalikar said.
The Minister recalled that the file was again moved in 2012 when Parrikar was Chief Minister. “Parrikar also that time decided not to grant permission to the project unless they take State into confidence for development,” he said.
“However, in 2015 then Chief Minister (Parsekar) overruled the decisions and gave the go ahead to the project. Accordingly, the Act was passed in the Parliament in 2016,” the Minister said.
BOX 2
Churchill for special session to pass resolution opposing
NCP MLA Churchill Alemao on Monday suggested that the House call for a one-day special session to pass a resolution that the Goan rivers be withdrawn from the National Waterways Act. He also suggested that the State request its three Members of Parliament (MPs) to take up the matter in Parliament.
“There is no point in fighting here. If we cannot pass the resolution today, let us call for a one-day special session and pass a resolution,” Alemao said and added, “If not then let us sign the MoU get the issue sorted out.”
“We can also ask all our MPs, who are from the BJP, to take up the matter before Parliament,” he suggested adding, ‘If we don’t pass resolution or don’t sign MoU… if fail to do even one thing then we are in major trouble.”
