The long-standing Mhadei river dispute once again triggered uproar in the Goa Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, as Opposition MLAs stormed the well of the House, accusing the Stategovernment of failing to stop Karnataka from illegally diverting Mhadei water to the Malaprabha basin.
A heated debate unfolded, with the Opposition demanding weekly updates on actions taken and questioning the government's legal and administrative inertia. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant defended the State's efforts and announced that another contempt petition will soon be filed before the Supreme Court.
Raising a starred question, Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco expressed concern over the ineffectiveness of the Centre-constituted Progressive River Authority for Water And Harmony (PRAWAH) and the stalled proposal for a Mhadei Tiger Reserve.
“Karnataka is trying to divert Mhadei water to its Malaprabha river basin. They have marked areas to lay pipes and to construct dams etc. What is the status on ground? Why are we not taking this issue seriously. I want a detailed report on steps taken in the past three years by the government before the Supreme Court and PRAWAH,” he said.
Citing continued soil testing and construction activity by Karnataka, the Opposition accused the government of failing to promptly inform the Supreme Court or invoke key provisions of the Inter-State Water Disputes Act. They also pointed out that the government has spent Rs 16 crore on legal advice with little to show for it.
“We may lose Mhadei but the legal brains will always win. Spending on legal fees is probably our way of expressing love and concern for Mother Mhadei. The legal matters, consultancy and other expenditure has cost more than Rs 16 crore to the State exchequer,” Yuri Alemao, Leader of the Opposition stated.