Team Herald
PANJIM: Mhadayi Bachav Abhiyan (MBA) after its victory in the decade-old battle of the Mhadei water diversion case has demanded that the governments of Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra resolve to preserve the ecological sensitive zone of the Western Ghats which is a world heritage site of UNESCO.
MBA Convener Nirmala Sawant said that biological wealth is being destroyed and UNESCO is not aware of this. She threatened to petition UNESCO if the government fails to preserve the heritage site.
“It was one of our prayers, but so far we have not brought UNESCO in picture but if the governments fail to do the needful we will write to them, let their team come and inspect what is happening here,” Sawant said. She added that no such activities can be carried out in the Western Ghats as it is a world heritage site.
Sawant said that after the apex court’s judgment last week the Mhadei Tribunal becomes infructuous. “Mhadei tribunal is concerned of allocation of share of the water, while the SC judgement clearly says that the environmental clearance to the Kalsa Bhandura project in Karnataka was not obtained from the MoEF&CC,” Sawant said.
She said that Karnataka is now trying to review the judgment to insert in the order copy that ‘no work will be done without the clearance of MoEF&CC’. “That means they can carry out construction work of the said project after getting the clearance,” she added.
“Karnataka is going file an application before the court which will be admitted but if it is considered than we have to approach UNESCO,” she said.
The apex court had disposed off the petition filed by MBA that had challenged Karnataka’s project on environmental grounds. Sc had also granted leave to the petitioner to approach the Court if Karnataka if it observes violations by Karnataka.
Karnataka has proposed the construction of 12 dams across the river.
MBA had approached SC in 2007 challenging Karnataka government project on the environmental ground and had pointed out that the project has been undertaken without obtaining EC from MoEF&CC. MBA had also sought direction from the court to maintain status quo in the project.
In 2009, the court had asked the ministry not to allow Karnataka to continue the canal work without obtaining necessary environmental clearance. However, despite this, Karnataka had continued to carry out work of the canal.
