PANJIM: Karnataka has already completed work on the Khalsa project to divert the Mhadei water to the Malaprabha basin. Herald Media asked people, “With Karnataka beginning the work on the Bhandura project after completing the Khalsa project, has the Goa government forgotten the Mhadei issue?”
Over the years we have seen that the Goa government is not serious about this issue. They have never handled this issue sensitively. They call Mhadei their mother, but they never fulfilled their obligation towards this mother. The Goa BJP government has given step motherly treatment to Mhadei. Whereas in Karnataka, let any government come to power whether it is BJP, Congress or JD (U), they are all one as far as Mhadei water is concerned. But our government fails or makes sure it fails as seen over all these years. Now since the Bhadura Project is coming, Khanapur Bachao samiti have held a press conference and gathered the farmers of that area and created awareness how the situation is serious and how they will suffer. It is high time Goans wake up to save their own lifeline – Mhadei.
Mahesh Mhambrey, Save Mhadei Save Goa
Goa government is not serious on the Mhadei issue. The work is on, on the Karnataka and we are urging the government to be vigilant. At least they have been actively vigilant through PRAWAH, but that too they don’t do. They (Karnataka) have completed Khalsa, they have already done the diversion. Now they are taking up work on Bhandura, which is in the wildlife sanctuary. On Thursday there was a protest in Khanapur, Karnataka, so the question arises is our government is sleeping? Because they made noise, we became aware. But because we came to know, did the Goa Government make any statement on Mhadei? The Goa government has not made it stand clear on this. So we feel our government is not serious about this issue.
Adv Hrudaynath Shirodkar, Save Mhadei Save Goa
I don’t think that we can say that the Goa Government has forgotten the Mhadei issue. But definitely, the Goa government which tom-toms about the double engine sarkar (government), it looks that both the engines are not functioning. The question is the government is not doing enough to trigger the judiciary about the importance of the issue. The other thing we know is that our justice system is so slow that the operation is successful, but the patient dies. The Goa government should move with such determination by convincing the judiciary that this is a matter of life and death for the people of Goa. Only then there is a possibility that the Supreme Court may hear the matter and once and for all settle it.
Trajano D’Mello, Political Commentator