MARGAO
Chants of Save Mhadei and Save Goa reverberated at the gram sabha meetings around Salcete countryside on Sunday, with members adopting unanimous resolutions demanding withdrawal of the DPR and to stop Karnataka from diverting Mhadei river waters.
The issue took centre-stage at gram sabha meetings, right from Nuvem to Loutolim, Raia and Navelim as members red-flagged the DPR and demanded protection of the river from diversion.
The Loutolim gram sabha unanimously adopted a resolution tabled by Xavier Fernandes rejecting the proposed diversion of waters of the Mhadei River by Karnataka. The resolution demanded revocation of all permissions granted including the approval of the DPR and the Award given by the Tribunal in 2018.
It was further resolved that the Panchayat shall endorse the resolution at the next meeting and forward this resolution to all relevant authorities of the Governments of Goa and India for immediate implementation.
In yet another resolution, the gram sabha said the State Forest Department must prevent loss of wildlife and forests in Goa due to the proposed diversion of waters of Mhadei by upholding the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 to give directions that no waters of Mhadei River are diverted.
The gram sabha further resolved that the ongoing coal handling at Mormugao Port and coal transportation from and within Goa must be stopped not just to protect Goa and Goans from the direct impact, but also to ensure that waters usurped by steel plants of corporates are returned to the people of Karnataka.
The Navelim gram sabha chaired by Sarpanch Paul Pereria also adopted a resolution, demanding withdrawal of DPR and to stop water diversion by Karnataka.
Activist Abhijit Prabhudesai and his team, who was invited by the panchayat, gave a detailed power point presentation to the gram sabha members explaining how the coal transportation from Goa and the diversion of Mhadei river waters by Karnataka are interlinked and aimed at benefiting the corporates.
Abhijit explained that the diversion of Mhadei River waters to Malaprabha basin is not for drinking or irrigation supplies to the residents of Karnataka, but for the large number of future steel and power plants within Malaprabha basin.
Sarpanch Paul later told the media that the gram sabha members unanimously opposed the diversion of river Mhadei waters by Karnataka.
The Mhadei river diversion also echoed at the Nuvem gram sabha chaired by Sarpanch Frida D’Sa. Gram sabha members, Jose Roque Andrade and Zarina D’Cunha proposed a resolution to oppose the diversion of Mhadei water.
The members pointed out any diversion will affect Goa in a big way, specially its biodiversity and severely impact the downstream ecology.
