Team Herald
PANJIM: The Opposition Congress on Monday charged that the State government had not carried out any site inspections in Mhadei river basin to check illegal construction activities by Karnataka from April 2023 till September 2024.
Addressing media Congress medical cell chairman Amarnath Panjikar termed BJP government headed by Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant as spineless.
“It is shocking that the BJP government's WRD Minister Subhash Shirodkar replied to Goa Legislative Assembly in August 2023 that “No work is being carried out on site” based on the inspection reports of April 4, 2023. On what basis the government assumed that no works were carried when no site inspections were actually done after April 2023?” questioned Panjikar.
“I dare WRD Minister Subhash Shirodkar to place in public domain all inspection reports to prove me wrong,’ he challenged.
“I have a LAQ reply of March 2023 which states that “Physical visit to Kalasa and Bhandura site is not possible as Karnataka is physically obstructing such visits. At one point of time, Karnataka police had detained the officials from Goa during a site inspection". This shows the cowardliness of the BJP government in Goa,” charged Panjikar.
According to him, the inspections carried out by Progressive River Authority for Welfare and Harmony from July 4 to 7, 2024 were just for “Familarisation of Mhadei Basin” and not to check illegal activities of construction and diversion.
He said that Congress MLAs had moved five amendments to the government resolution on Mhadei, which were adopted by the Goa Assembly on January 19, 2023. These amendments included withdrawal of DPR for the project that diverts the waters, Central government must stop giving approvals to Karnataka for projects on Mhadei, etc.
Bandharas on River Mhadei, Goa government to declare Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary as "Tiger Reserve" and all 40 MLAs of the Assembly will resign if Central government refuses to withdraw DPR in 15 days.