Just hours before the crucial all-party delegation meet with Union Minister for Environment Forest and Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar, Goa Forward president Viaji Sardesai filed a petition before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) against the Union ministry’s environment approval for the Kalasa-Bhanduri canal to divert water from the Mhadei to the Malaprabha.
Goa Forward has made the Goa and Karnataka governments respondents in the case.
Soon after filing the petition, Sardesai tweeted, “#Goa’s interests can’t be sacrificed at the altar of by-elections in #Karnataka. @Goaforwardparty will fight for justice for #Goa & as promised to the people we have filed petition against MoEF in Principal Bench of NGT at Delhi today. Govts of Goa & Karnataka made parties,” he said.
The GFP president and Fatorda MLA said, “Goa Chief Minister’s statement diluting MoEF’s approval means sacrificing Goa’s interest at the altar of by-polls in the Karnataka.”
MoEF had given the Karnataka government an environmental approval for construction to divert water from River Mhadei. The MoEF minister had tweeted about this development, which led to a huge uproar in Goa with people objecting to it.
