PANJIM: Alleging that the State government is not serious to protect Mhadei River, the Mhadei Bachao Abhiyan (MBA) on Friday demanded that the Sawant government should press for early hearing of special leave petition (SLP) filed in the Supreme Court opposing the Tribunal’s Award.
Speaking to reporters, MBA Convenor Nirmala Sawant said that the State government is not interested in pursuing the case pending before the Supreme Court.
She said that after the Inter-State Mhadei Disputes Tribunal gave its verdict allocating water to three States – Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra, the State government filed a SLP before the Apex Court challenging the Award.
The State government had also filed another plea praying for interim relief to stop Karnataka from going ahead with the construction of bundhs at the Kalasa nullah and to restrain the neighbouring State from diverting water from deficit Mhadei basin to surplus Malaprabha basin.
Supreme Court lawyer Adv Bhavanishankar Gadnis argued that after vacation the Supreme Court will reopen on July 4, but it cannot take a decision on Goa’s plea until the Chief Wildlife Warden decides on Karnataka’s reply to the show cause notice.
He also reiterated that the Goa government should request the Apex Court to decide on the SLP filed in 2019, challenging the Tribunal’s verdict. Earlier, the members of the MBA and the Save Mhadei Save Goa Front held a joint meeting in Panjim, to make the proposed water revolution at Lohia Maidan, Margao, on Sunday, a success.
“Sunday’s water revolution will be a referendum like Opinion Poll held in the State,” said Adv Gadnis.
Save Mhadei Save Goa Front Convenor Adv Hrudaynath Shirodkar said that the meeting will demand to scrap 16 B and 17(2) amendments to TCP Act, as these amendments were depleting natural resources in the State.
