PANJIM: The Mhadei Bachao Abhiyan (MBA) has appealed to the people of Goa to vote for candidates who will work to protect Mhadei River and will also raise the Mhadei issue in the Parliament.
Calling the diversion of Mhadei waters ‘the last nail in the coffin’, former Minister and MBA convenor Nirmala Sawant on Saturday said that if the Mhadei is not saved, the State will lose very badly.
“The diversion of Mhadei waters will prove disastrous for the State, which is already affected by deforestation and reckless mining. If the river dries up, it will create a seismic zone which can cause an earthquake,” said Nirmala. She gave the example of massive flooding in Uttarakhand which caused significant damage and loss of life.
She rued that the Goa government is talking about an education hub, religious hub, historical hub and perhaps coal hub. “But it has no concern to save Mhadei River, despite the fact that water consumption in the State has increased. Goa is a water deficit State, and every year, it is experiencing water scarcity,” she said, adding that this would even affect the government’s plans to start inland waterways.
