Team Herald
PANJIM: The United Opposition has kept up the pressure on the government over the Mhadei water dispute by demanding a white paper within 30 days, falling which they will launch an agitation.
The opposition also lashed out at the Dr Pramod Sawant-led government for rejecting their appeal to hold a special session on the Mhadei or debating the issue comprehensively on the floor of the House in the Legislative Assembly.
“The government should issue a white paper on Mhadei, giving all the details, affidavits, applications, prayers, etc submitted before the judiciary. Let the entire State know what the government’s stand is before the Supreme Court, National Green Tribunal and the Ministry at the Centre. If the government fails to do so within 30 days, we will have to start an agitation,” Opposition Leader Digambar Kamat said, addressing a press conference of the United Opposition at Porvorim on Monday.
Kamat recalled that government had rejected the Opposition’s adjournment motion on Mhadei in January this year. “We could have held a debate. It is a black day. We have reached a stage wherein the Supreme Court has given permission to the Centre to notify the Tribunal order,” he said.
He added, “We are now hearing that Goa government is once again moving the Apex Court to restrain Karnataka from taking further steps. I feel, we should have opposed the notification tooth and nail in the beginning itself, which this government could not do. Why it could not oppose the notification, that can be replied by government,” he added, alleging that the government is displaying a lackadaisical attitude towards resolving the Mhadei issue in favour of Goa.
His views were backed by Congress’s senior leader Pratapsingh Rane, Goa Forward Party (GFP) President Vijai Sardesai, MGP MLA Ramkrishna Dhavalikar and other members of the United Opposition.
“We demand a white paper that led to the black day. His (CM) pre-emptive defence was that we won and in two days he says we are going on appeal (before the SC). In simple language, he doesn’t know what is happening. The government is lying,” Sardesai alleged.
The former deputy CM reiterated the allegation he made last week that CM Sawant has compromised to save his ‘chair’, while also charging Union Environment Minister Prakash Javdekar for “not caring about Goa”.
The United Opposition also slammed Water Resources Minister Felipe Neri Rodrigues for neglecting Dhavlikar’s apprehensions over water diversion, in the recently held session of the Legislative Assembly.
“Rodrigues said not a single drop of Mhadei water will be diverted but he did not contradict Dhavalikar’s statement that 60 per cent water is diverted already. Nobody is negating or challenging this claim,” the legislators said, asking for white paper on the issue.
Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte said, “Mandovi River will be most affected. We have an incapable CM who is not able to take capable decisions in the interest of Goa.”
