PORVORIM: Ruling out the possibility of handling the Mhadei water diversion dispute on political lines with the neighbouring of Maharashtra and Karnataka, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar assuring to act in the interest of state and accused Karnataka of planting ‘ecological bomb’ against Goa by way of proposed dams over the river.
Parrikar said that Goa has been successful in making the Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal (MWDT) realize that Karnataka had not only hidden facts, but has also lied before the tribunal on various aspects.
Speaking during the Zero Hour mention, Chief Minister said the issue with neighbouring states cannot be handled on party lines as it is pertaining to the interest of individual states. “There are certain issues that cannot be dealt with the governments based on party lines. All Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) will have to come together, where there is interest of the state,” he said.
Parrikar said that he could try to speak to the Maharashtra counterpart and convince him on the issue. “But it is a dispute, so you cannot handle it on the party lines,” the chief minister said.
He said that he himself will also not like to deal this issue on party basis as “it is concerning the interest of Goa.”
The issue was raised by Congress MLA Pratpasingh Rane, who brought to the notice of the House that Karnataka in its submission before the Supreme Court has said to have completed the Kalsa-Bandhura project over River Mhadei and is awaiting forest clearance.
“I want the state government to take up the matter seriously. We cannot allow diversion of our water. It will have worst impact on agriculture and will also upset the environment,” Rane said.
Replying to the concern, Parrikar said, the state is going to face the elections so there will be lot of one-upmanship in the run up to the polls. “The project is not complete,” he said adding that he has already briefed Senior Counsel Adv Atmaram Nadkarni on the issue for necessary action.
The Chief Minister accused Karnataka of “not telling all the truth”. “We brought this issue before the Water Dispute Tribunal where we proved that Karnataka was not telling all the truth,” he said.
Parrikar said that Mhadei River has 78 per cent of its basin in Goa. “Of total all the river basins in Goa, 47 per cent was that of Mhadei,” he said.
He stated that the damming the water upstream would increase salinity in the rivers of state and also have ecologically affect in areas up to Western Ghat. “This is ecological bomb that Karnataka is planting in the forms of dams,” Chief Minister commented.
Claiming that Goa government has designed certain strategies to tackle the water dispute, Parrikar refused to reveal it in public. He alleged that when it comes to water, Karnataka has problem with several states.
