With the Opposition distancing itself from a discourse on the Central approval of the Karnataka’s Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for Kalasa and Bhandura, the fight for Mhadei appears to have died even before it could take off.
At the January 3 meeting at Hubbali, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President D K Shivakumar batted for Mhadei and promised to earmark Rs 1,000 crore if a Congress government came to power in the State. This forced the Congress in Goa to change course.
While the Opposition outcry was short-lived, the BJP is stirring up public sentiment by asking for resolutions to be passed in panchayat and municipality meetings. The BJP is well aware that the State government is not in a position to force a reversal of the Centre’s decision. The BJP fully understands the political intricacies and how important it is for the party to seize an advantage ahead of the assembly elections and, subsequently the Lok Sabha polls in 2024.
In the Mhadei churn, the impact of water diversion on Goa has been kept on the sidelines as parties, and political leaders have engaged in unnecessary banter. The BJP has made a calculated attempt to stir up people’s sentiment on Mhadei through the grassroots bodies by asking panchayats and municipalities to pass resolutions to that effect. The move to reach out to grassroots bodies is a surprise because, firstly, the government never raised awareness of the significance of Mhadei water, and people are still clueless in areas like Salcete. Secondly, the government rarely recognised the voices of dissent and resolutions taken at the local body meetings in the past. Instead, resolutions on crucial public issues have been relegated to the dustbin. There have been numerous resolutions passed against river nationalisation, double tracking, coal transportation and other public issues, but nothing materialised out of public feedback because it was not in sync with the stand of the ruling dispensation. Therefore, activating the local populace at this moment appears to be a suspicious move.
The Save Mhadei Save Goa Front has given an ultimatum to the government to ensure that the DPR is withdrawn by the Centre by Opinion Poll day (January 16). But none of the political parties have put up a united front. Battling to reverse a Central decision would be an exercise in futility in the current circumstances, but there is still a lot to fight for. All debates should veer around two crucial questions: One is on forest clearances that the Karnataka government need to seek before undertaking works. This is crucial because the project site is around 237 metres away from Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary. And secondly, the formation of the Water Management Authority.
While the forest clearances will be governed by the law in force, setting up a Water Management Authority is crucial from Goa’s standpoint. Karnataka has sought the diversion of 3.9 tmc water out of its allocation. Goa must ensure that the outflow is monitored, and politics has to be delinked for the sensitive Mhadei issue.
