Team Herald
PANJIM: Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant on Thursday told the Goa Legislative Assembly that, if required, an all-party delegation will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Mhadei issue, amidst the Opposition benches casting aspersions on the government’s intention to defend the State’s interest in the dispute.
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The House, during a discussion that lasted about two hours, also had suggestions from the opposition MLAs such as holding a one-day token hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, Delhi to get the attention of the Central Government and the Supreme Court.
“We will do everything needed for Mhadei. It is Goa’s lifeline and I reiterate on the floor of the House that Mhadei is my mother. We will not compromise or come under any pressure on the issue. If required, we will not hesitate to take an all party delegation to the PM,” he said.
The CM appealed the legislators cutting across party lines to remain united on the contentious issue. In his short reply to the Calling Attention Motion moved by MLA Vinod Paliencar, Sawant also conceded that Karnataka is illegally diverting the water despite different Special Leave Petitions by Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra pending before the Supreme Court. “I have full faith… We will not face injustice,” he said.
Earlier following a heated discussion in the House, Water Resources Minister Filipe Nery Rodrigues urged the MLAs not to give a political colour to the issue. He allayed opposition apprehensions that the case was slipping out of Goa’s hands. “Mhadei is a long-fought legal battle. It is not a short-tem issue. Time has come we all are united. We have not lost the legal battle, what we have lost is the quantity of water which has been illegally diverted by Karnataka,” he replied to a volley of questions by the opposition.
The minister assured the House that every time attempts were made to divert water, Goa government has walked the legal path to stop it.
During the discussion, Leader of the Opposition Digambar Kamat said that Union Minister Prakash Javdekar’s assurance – during an all-party delegation in 2019 – to set up a committee to look into concerns raised by Goa on the Kalsa-Bhandura project, has not seen the light of day.
Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai demanded that the lawyers representing Goa before the apex court be changed since they allowed the notification of the award of Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal without consulting Goa.
Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte said that diversion of water will increase the salinity of the river in Goa and it will have adverse impact on the flora and fauna of the State. He also questioned the government’s lethargic attitude in dealing with the matter as well as action against Karnataka’s attempts to divert the water despite the matter being sub-judice.
Sardesai also accused the government of fooling the people by not allowing diversion, contrary to claims by Goa Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on attempts made to stop the diversion by Karnataka.
NCP MLA Churchill Alemao suggested a site visit by 40 MLAs to display a show of strength. “We should take a photograph of the visit and send it to Supreme Court,” he said.
Congress MLA Luizinho Faleiro, in his “out of the box” suggestion told the House that all 40 MLAs should hold a day-long hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, so as to garner the attention of the Union government and judiciary.
MGP MLA Ramkrishna Dhavalikar said that Goa’s further submission before the Supreme Court should state that Supa Dam is closer than Mhadei for Karnataka to source water for drinking purpose. “If Karnataka really wants water for drinking purpose, then Supa is around 60 kms from Dharwad and Hubli whereas this (Mhadei) is 160 kms,” he added.
