PANJIM: Alleging that Karnataka has continued to carry out work at the Kalasa-Bandhura project despite the Supreme Court (SC) directions in 2014, former PWD Minister Ramakrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar on Tuesday demanded a joint site inspection to ascertain the present situation.
Addressing media persons, MGP Marcaim MLA Dhavalikar also demanded that an all-party delegation be led to Prime Minister Narendra Modi brining to his notice the various violations by Karnataka and the fact that the neighbouring State has various water resources to exploit to fulfill the water requirement of people in Hubali-Dharwad region.
He added that despite the SC directing Karnataka not to carry out work pending permissions through an interim order in August 2014, the State had violated the same and continues work at Kalasa-Bandhura project.
“A site inspection has to be carried out jointly by a team of Central government, Goa and Karnataka officials. Along with experts, concerned Central Ministers, State Ministers should be also present during the inspection. Let Karnataka get be exposed for their violations,” the MLA demanded.
He further alleged that the successive State governments from 2007 till now have failed to protect the interest of Goa in the Mhadei matter. “Right from 2007-12, when Digambar Kamat was the chief minister, Karnataka started the dam work. Later, when former CM (late) Manohar Parrikar took over and till the SC passed the interim order, nothing was done to stop Karnataka,” he alleged.
Dhavalikar also said that Parrikar kept the Cabinet in the dark during his tenure in 2012-14 and again in 2017-18 on the Mhadei issue. “The Cabinet was never consulted. What came to the Cabinet was only fee hikes of advocates representing Goa before the tribunal and the SC. Apart from this, the Cabinet was not aware about anything,” he said.
“The only decision that Cabinet took was to challenge the Mhadei tribunal award, passed in 2018, allowing Karnataka to use 3.9tmc of Mhadei water,” Dhavalikar added.
PANJIM: Continuing his tirade
against Goa Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant, Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte has
slammed the CM for the Mhadei order denyiong stay on construction works sying
Goa has lost a lifeline without putting up a fight.“Supreme Court
refusing the stay on #Mhadei tells us that CM is living under fool’s paradise.
He’s on a lying spree to cover up for his Govt’s failures & past lies,” Khaunte
tweeted.
Khaunte said that CM’s
lack of seriousness at fighting for our river has made Goa voiceless in the
national politics.
“…on the other side,
Karnataka administration made their best efforts by reaching out to centre
& securing their interest. It pains us to see CM gave up on Goa’s lifeline
without putting up a fight for nothing but to secure his Chair,” he charged.
