A delegation of the Mhadei Bachao Abhiyan(MBA) met Chief Minister Pramod Sawant at the Mantralaya in Porvorim on Monday, pressing the State government to intensify its legal and administrative efforts in the protracted Mhadei water dispute with Karnataka. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, MBA member Rajendra Kerkar said, “We have demanded that the government should make more efforts to ensure that the hearing in the Mhadei matter be fast-tracked before the Supreme Court.”
He also added that the delegation urged the govern ment to provide police protection for visits to Kankumbi and Bandura to conduct an aerial survey of the diversion project, and to arrange a meeting with Union Environ ment Minister Bhupendra Yadav. Another MBA activist, Prajal Sakhardande, pointed out the political developments on the issue. “We also brought to the notice of the Chief Minister the statements made by his Karnataka counterpart and his meeting with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue,” he said. Former State minister and MBA member Nirmala Sawant described the discussion with Pramod Sawant as reassuring. “The response of the Chief Minister was very positive. We demanded that we require police protection as we want to visit the site. The chief minister was quite positive to the demands and agreed to them,” she said. Sawant added, “We also requested the government to appoint a person who will represent the case when the matter comes before the tribunal or the matter is to be discussed with the government of Karnataka. Now who will be appointed is the prerogative of the government.” The MBA members also pressed for steps to ensure an early hearing of the matter in the Supreme Court and for the appointment of Delhi-based counsels who would be available whenever the case comes up before the apex court. On the government’s part, Water Resources Minis ter Subhash Shirodkar confirmed that Goa would push strongly for the case to be heard without delay. “The gov ernment has decided to make a request to ensure that the matter is heard on priority basis,” he said. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, while underlining his government’s commitment, hinted at procedural chal lenges. “As I have been saying, we are very much serious. We have taken note of the suggestions made by MBA members. As far as their visit is concerned, first of all they should get permission from the tribunal (Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal),” he clarified. He further said that the State was consulting the Advocate General and other sen ior advocates on the suggestions made by the MBA.
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The meeting highlights a renewed push by civil society groups to ensure Goa’s interests in the Mhadei dispute are safeguarded amid Karnataka’s assertive stand and politi cal lobbying at the national level. The river Mhadei, lifeline of Goa, has long been at the centre of a dispute after Karnataka sought to divert its waters to Malaprabha basin through projects at Kankum bi and Bandura. Goa has consistently opposed the move, arguing that large-scale diversion would cause ecological imbalance and severely impact drinking water supply in the State.
