PANJIM: Taking serious note
of the ongoing Inter-State River Water dispute between Goa and Karnataka, the
State cabinet on Friday decided to approach Prime Minister Narendra Modi
seeking his intervention to ask neighbouring Karnataka to declare a one km area
as eco-sensitive zone around the Mhadei and Bhimgad wildlife sanctuaries.
The council of ministers
also decided to recommend to the Centre to extend the term of the Mhadei Water
Dispute Tribunal by two years, as the existing term expires in August.
“The resolution was adopted
in the wake of the current imbroglio between Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka
over the Mhadei river water dispute and the environmental damage caused near
the wildlife sanctuaries in Karnataka due to construction of dams to block the
water,” Parsekar said after the cabinet meeting.
The resolution adopted states,
“The council of ministers resolved that the State (Goa) Administration has
taken a very serious note of the ongoing inter-state river water disputes by
and in between the States of Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra.”
It was pointed out that
Karnataka has affected eco-sensitive areas of the Western Ghats considered as
hottest of hot spots of bio-diversity, whereby their works have badly damage
the flora and fauna and the bio-diversity of the area.
“It is noted that State of
Goa has taken steps to declare one kilometer eco-sensitive zone around wildlife
sanctuaries whereas no steps have been taken by ministry of Environment and
Forests to declare eco-sensitive areas in Karnataka thereby permitting such heavy
environmental damage and similarly damaging wildlife sanctuaries and Western
Ghats,” the cabinet note states.
Parsekar said the cabinet resolved
to request Modi, Union minister for water resources, river development and
Ganga Rejuvination and Union minister of State for Environemnt and Forest to take
steps to stop such degradation of wildlife sanctuaries and also to restore the
area and undo the harm done.
The Mhadei River runs
through the three States, with Goa having the largest geological area of 78 percent,
followed by 18 percent in Karnataka and four percent in Maharashtra. The river
is a lifeline for Goa. “Serious differences have existed between Goa and
Karnataka on the utilization of the waters of Mhadei river,” Parsekar said.
The cabinet noted that the
diversion of Mhadei waters would have serious repercussions, endangering the flora
and fauna of the Western Ghats, wildlife sanctuaries and also have serious
effects on drinking water, navigation.
