PORVORIM: The contentious Mhadei river diversion issue echoed in the Goa Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, with Calangute MLA Michael Lobo demanding a permanent solution to the burning issue.
Speaking during the discussions on demands in the State Legislative Assembly that also included the Water Resources Department, Lobo sought clarity from the government on the Mhadei tangle.
“Lot has been debated in this House. People have given speeches including the Chief Minister. Every five years we (Goa government) give them (Karnataka) a letter and allow them to take away water for the purpose of drinking and irrigation and after that we debate the issue again in the House. I feel this should stop now,” Lobo said.
“The matter is in the Court. We need to use our good office in Delhi with our own government and see that all these things fall in place. Drinking water cannot be diverted through channels. Karnataka has built channels and diverted water. WRD Chief Engineer has seen it, Karnataka can only pump out but cannot divert Mhadei water,” he added.
Lobo asked the government to inform the House about steps taken for withdrawal of Karnataka’s revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) that has
already been approved by the Central Water Commission (CWC).
