PANJIM: Asserting that Mhadei River issue is a matter of life and death, Union Minister of State for Ports and Tourism Shripad Naik on Saturday said that he is ready to resign as Union Minister if the Centre fails to pay heed to the rightful demands of Goa.
Reacting to Central Water Commission (CWC) approval to Karnataka’s Detailed Project Report (DPR) of Kalasa-Bhandura project over River Mhadei, Naik said, “I accept that it is a mistake of the Centre to take one-side decision related to Mhadei River. The double engine government has gone away with a single engine in this matter. For me people’s interest is prime, ministership is insignificant. No one should play with the interest of citizenery.”
Naik said that he has already asked Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to lead an all-party delegation to Delhi to discuss the issue with the Government of India while, the Chief Minister has also called a special Cabinet meeting over the issue on Monday. Sawant has also convened a meeting of all MLAs at Porvorim at 4 pm on Monday to discuss Mhadei issue.
Naik called for the need to discuss and deliberate over the issue in the ensuing winter session of Goa Assembly starting from January 16. He appealed to all opposition members to come together by keeping aside their political differences in this matter and to protect Goa’s interest with reference to Mhadei.
The Union Minister lamented that Goa was not taken into confidence and that the CWC’s decision to give approval to the Karnataka’s DPR when the matter was subjudice was injustice on Goa. He said that State government will take all possible measures to make the Centre withdraw its approvals.
To begin with, the Chief Minister will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah and will later lead an all-party delegation to Delhi to meet the Central leaders to apprise them about the issue. If no solution comes up despite the efforts, the State government will resort to approaching the Supreme Court yet again, he said.
Naik denied that the Goa government had faltered in its efforts in following up the Mhadei issue and taking requisite measures.
