PANJIM: Accusing Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant of being a “talking parrot” of Union Minister Prakash Javadekar, Independent MLA Rohan Khaunte on Thursday said that the all-party delegation that went to New Delhi has turned out to be a “laughing stock” after the Union minister feigned ignorance of the consent granted by his Ministry for Karnataka’s Kalasa-Bhanduri project.
Addressing a press conference, Khaunte also predicted that Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) will withdraw the letter given to the Karnataka before visiting Goa for the upcoming 50th edition of International Film Festival of India, beginning from Nov 20.
“The all-party delegation that went to New Delhi has turned out to be laughing stock. Union Minister Javadekar asked for ten days’ time and chief minister proudly announced it. Also, none of the members, who were part of delegation, questioned why the Minister needs ten days, when he claimed that the letter was just a routine exercise,” Khaunte said.
“The delegation has become laughing stock. The chief minister has become a talking parrot of Javadekar,” the former revenue minister alleged.
Khaunte predicted that Javadekar will withdraw the letter and after that BJP would celebrate it in the State claiming it to be their victory. “I can predict it in advance that BJP will withdraw the letter and after that BJP will have victory rally in the State,” he said.
The former minister also said that Javadekar would withdraw the letter as he has to come to Goa during IFFI, failing which he would have to face people’s wrath.
Khaunte, who had opposed all-party delegation meet with Javadekar, said that the delegation should have met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought his immediate intervention over Environmental Ministry’s action. “When Javadekar feigned ignorance about the letter, the delegation should have immediately called on the Prime Minister and exposed the affairs of the Ministry,” he said.
He said that Karnataka has managed a tactful victory on Mhadei issue by getting on record from the Ministry that Kalasa-Bhanduri is a drinking water project and that provisions of Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification 2006 are not applicable to it. He also alleged that after receiving the consent letter, Karnataka has already diverted Mhadei water through the Kalasa project.
