Maharashtra is reported to have stopped work on the Virdi dam, but indications are that it may resume soon. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant stated earlier this week that work was stalled after a notice was sent to them by the Water Resources Department. The question is whether the matter ends there or whether Goa is taking comfort in Karnataka going into a pause mode on the controversial dam.
The mere announcement of work being stopped cannot be the end of the Virdi dam story, and authorities in Goa cannot applaud themselves over this development like the way they yelled out "victory" after the Mhadei water tribunal gave its award, allowing Karnataka to divert water to the Malaprabha basin.
Maharastra's Virdi plan started in 2006 and ran parallel with Karnataka's Mhadei diversion project. The State was seized with the project and matched Karnataka's intent at every step. It violated norms and went about rampantly cutting through forest areas and even increased the dam's height over time.
While Virdi was taking shape, Goa was seeking solace in the imagination that it would not affect the water flow into Goa. However, environmentalists contended that the consequences of the Virdi dam would be felt across Sanquelim, Bardez and Bicholim because two water treatment plans rely on the Valvonti River for water supply. So the question is, why were we tolerant towards the Virdi dam, and if Goa is not impacted, what is the point in asking Maharashtra to stop their project?
While the Mhadei water tribunal has declined water diversion outside the basin and turned down Maharastra's forceful plea, the location of the Virdi dam itself is a clear sign that the State is trying to channel water from the dam to its parched industrial estate at Matne Dodamarg.
Goa cannot expect or even hope that Maharashtra will shelve the project at this stage after investing their money, time and resource. Neither should Goa take false consolation that the flow of water downstream from the dam would benefit Goa. The fact that the alignment of the dam has been shifted to Kattika nall, a sub-tributary of the Valvonti River, only goes to establish the fact that the project will affect Goa.
Ironically, Maharastra has been working covertly on the project and has completed a chunk of the dam work without the necessary forest clearances or feasibility studies. This is a double whammy for Goa. While we reacted belatedly to Karnataka's plan calling it a victory first and then realising it was a defeat, we have failed to assess the impact of the Maharashtra project.
We hope lessons are learnt from the debacle and a proactive approach is adopted before the cascading effect of the Virdi project is felt in Goa. While there are grim hopes of political mediation helping Goa, given the equation of Karnataka and Maharashtra vis-a-vis the Centre, the Goa government must have a plan of action drawn up immediately, explore options of approaching the tribunal and the courts for intervention and get environmentalists and other experts on board rather than rely exclusively on a political resolution.
