Team Herald
PANJIM: The State Legislative Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution objecting Mhadei water diversions and urging the Centre to withdraw the approval granted to Karnataka’s Detailed Project Report (DPR) and to constitute the Mhadei Water Management Authority.
Sawant also announced formation of a House Committee under the chairmanship of Water Resources Minister Subhash Shirodkar, to ascertain the views of different people, legal luminaries, environmentalists to protect Mhadei river.
The other members of committee are Adv Carlos Alvares Ferreira, Vijai Sardesai, Capt Venzy Viegas, Viresh Borkar, Dr Chandrakant Shetye, Alex Reginaldo Lourenco, Dr Deviya Rane, Jit Arolkar, Michael Lobo, Ganesh Gaonkar and Premendra Shet.
The resolution which was earlier tabled by MLA Alexio Sequeira was converted into government resolution.
It will be sent to the Union government with a request to act on the same at the earliest.
“This House vehemently objects to any attempt of out-of-basin diversion of water from the Mhadei river-basin. The reports of DPR of the State of Karnataka being approved by Central Water Commission have raised serious apprehension in the minds of Goan people about the very existence of the river Mhadei,” the resolution stated.
Replying to lengthy discussion in the House on the last day of the brief winter session, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant admitted that Karnataka has already diverted water at Kalasa and Haltara rivulets. He said that the State government has strongly objected to any diversion of water from Mhadei basin into Malaprabha basin in Karnataka. He further said that in order to utilise water from Mhadei river, construction of six dams are in pipeline.
Appealing to the opposition to come together unitedly keeping aside their political differences to fight for the existence of Mhadei river, he refused to give any commitment as regards time-frame by which the Karnataka’s DPR would be withdrawn.
“I can’t give specific time-frame for DPR withdrawal but it will be done at the earliest,” he said adding that the recent meeting with the Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Minister for positive. He also said that the Mhadei Water Management Authority with its office in Panjim, will be constituted by the Centre soon.
