Work on Kalasa canal still going on, say Goa greens

Work on Kalasa canal still going on, say Goa greens
TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Even as the Karnataka High Court directs the government not to proceed with the Kalasa canal work without obtaining clearances from the Union Ministry for Environment and Forests, environmentalists in Goa claim that this relief has come too late with almost 80 per work completed at the site.
Rajendra Kerkar who visited the area on Sunday said, “Despite the court order which came on February 28, Karnataka government has not stopped the work,” alleging further that even today work was on at the site.
Kerkar said he has contacted the petitioner and plans are on to file a contempt case against the respondents.
He pointed out that Karnataka government has completed the work from Amvyacho Vhal in Kankumbi to Talvade border which is 80 per cent of the work “and it appears that they are not in a position to stop it,” he said.
He also alleged that the Karnataka government is carrying out the work of constructing bricks for the canal in the reserve forest area in Kankumbi.
“The Goa government must take note of this and press for action in the matter,” Kerkar said.
He also added that the water dispute tribunal should be informed about this development at the earliest even though the next hearing in the Mhadei water dispute matter is scheduled in the third week of March.
The environmentalist regretted that the matter came up for hearing late and Karnataka government carried out its work without obtaining any environment and forest clearances.
In its affidavit to the court, the Karnataka government maintained that no work was being carried out in forest area and work was on only in revenue lands. It further stated that the project is aimed at providing drinking water to Hubli, Dharwad and 10 other towns; and that though Karnataka is entitled to a much higher share in the water of the Mhadei river, only a small portion (3.5 TMC) would be diverted through this project.
Karnataka has been constructing the canal that will divert waters of the Kalasa rivulet into the Malaprabha river at Kankumbi. Kalasa is a tributary of the river Mhadei-Mandovi in Goa.
Kerkar maintained that all this will have a devastation effect on Goa’s environment and water bodies in the area.
Chairperson of the Mhadei Bachao Abhiyan, Nirmala Sawant said that like Ravindra Saini who had moved the High Court, she too has moved the Supreme Court in the matter concerning violations of the Forest Protection Act 1972 and Wildlife Protection Act 1972 by Karnataka government.
“Both the petitions were filed on the same grounds,” she said.