PONDA: Contending that Mhadei water sharing issue should be solved only before Mhadei Tribunal, the members of Amhee Goenkar have demanded that the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar admit his mistake and withdraw his letter to Karnataka BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa on Mhadei River water dispute.
The demand was made at the public meeting held at Zareshwar Hall in Ponda, on Thursday.
The activists also opposed talks or compromise between two states or politicians on the issue.
They said that Parrikar is a bad administrator and his decisions are against interest of country and Goans.
Speaker after speaker lambasted the chief minster saying his “arbitrary decision to fulfill the dream of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah will prove harmful to Goa.”
They said that if water from the Mhadei River is diverted to Karnataka, it would create draught like situation in Goa and Goans living in six talukas would struggle to get water even for drinking.
The public meeting was addressed by Adv S N Joshi, Swati Kerkar, Adv Ajitsingh Rane and Madu Gaonkar.
S N Joshi is the Convenor of Amhee Goenkar. He said that Karnataka has 35 MPs compared to just three MPs including one Rajya Sabha MP and therefore they can pressurise Central Government easily.
He said that Karnataka wants water for sugar factories and not for drinking.
“Goa’s change in stand under pressure of the Central government and Karnataka will adversely impact our case before the tribunal; hence, Goenkars should fight for their right. Water sharing does not depend on from whose territory a river flows, but on how many people survives on it,” Joshi said.
Environmentalist Madu Gaonkar said that Parrikar was ruining future of Goa by showing willingness to share water.
Adv Satyawan Palkar said that Parrikar is famous for U-turn and he is the worst administrator so far.
