TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
MAYEM: Sanquelim MLA Dr Pramod Sawant and noted environmentalist environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar submitted a memorandum to the Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal (MWDT) on behalf of residents from Bicholim and Sattari talukas, during the MWDT’s visit to Anjunem Dam in Kerim on Tuesday.
Besides the memorandum, copies of many resolutions passed by the several village panchayats and NGOs were also submitted to the MWDT.
Earlier in the day, the MWDT visited Chorla Ghat, Kalsa Nullah at Surla and Barajanancho Vazar at Paikacho Pathar and Goa’s CCF Richard D’Souza highlighted the importance of the water form Kalsa and Surla Nullah for Goa.
In the memorandum, Dr Sawant has stated that Karnataka has been keen to build dams on various tributaries of the Mhadei River originating from Karnataka, sometimes for generating hydro electricity or to make use of water for irrigation purpose.
“However since September 2006, Karnataka has been repeatedly making claims of drinking water paucity for Hubli and Dharwad and has unilaterally gone ahead by excavating and constructing canals and channels at Kankumbi for the Kalsa-Bhandura projects,” stated the memorandum.
“Karnataka has a grand plan to divert 225 MCM from the Mhadei river to the Malaprabha basin and additional 112 MCM from Khandepar River, which is popular for the Dudhsagar waterfalls, to the Supa reservoir in Kali basin,” the memorandum added.
The memorandum stated that the Goa government was earlier denied permission by the ministry of environment and forests to build the Mandovi Irrigation Project at Nanoda in Sattari, as it was likely to destroy 350 hectares of forestland.
“Karnataka is presently marching ahead to meet the same fate under the Forest Conservation Act. Karnataka’s proposal will cause massive disturbances to the habitat of wildlife in the Mhadei valley,” stated the memorandum.
Dr Sawant and Kerkar requested the tribunal members not to grant permission either to Maharashtra or Karnataka to divert water of the Mhadei River and its tributaries.
Dr Sawant was accompanied by Kudnem Sarpanch poonam Pethkar, SMC councillors Dayanand Boryekar and Milind Relekar, Navelim Sarpanch Gopinath Gawas, Rajan Falkar, Amol Desai, environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar and others.
Meanwhile, residents from Virdi-Kankumbi will submit a memorandum to the MWDT on December 18 expressing their objection to the Karnataka Government’s plans to construct the Haltara Dam at Chorla.
A decision to this effect was resolved at a meeting of villagers from Virdi-Dodamarg and Kankumbi, which was held under the guidance of Kankumbi Sarpanch Deepak Wadekar.
