MARGAO
Calling upon Goans to brace up for a sustained battle to oppose tooth and nail the diversion of Mhadei waters, environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar has said that drinking water would be the first casualty, followed by a dwindling fish catch if the Karnataka government is allowed to divert Mhadei river water from following into Goa.
In the event of diversion of Mhadei river waters, Kerkar warned that a stage may come in the future people of Goa where they would be forced to migrate to other states for want of adequate availability of water in the State.
He further warned that salinity levels in the sea will increase manifold if Mhadei water is diverted by Karnataka, affecting the fish catch and bringing about climatic changes, all detrimental to the environment, while driving home the point that entire Goa will face the brunt, be it on water shortage, climatic changes, dwindling fish catch, loss of vegetation, including mangroves et al.
Delivering a lecture on “Mhadei, the Lifeline of Goa” organised by the Samaj Seva Sangh and Shree Damodar Vidhya Prasarak Mandal at the Damodar Vidhya Bhuvan on Wednesday at 9.30 am, Kerkar said an NIO scientist in his 2009 report had clearly underlined the need to flush the sea water with fresh water to maintain the salinity equilibrium.
“Diversion of water will affect the climatic conditions and increase the salinity. Mangroves, which acts as a shock absorber during tremors and can withstand the velocity of winds, will be adversely affected along the Goa coast,” he said, adding that shell fish has also become extinct in many areas for want of flushing of the rivers with fresh water.
He said that Karnataka’s avowed objective behind the diversion of the Mhadei river is to bring under irrigation sugarcane plantation and not for drinking water.
“Drinking water is precious. We have to carry out water conservation measures, including tree plantation,” he said.
Replying to questions posed by the students, the environmentalist lamented that Goan rivers, including the Mandovi river and River Sal are polluted by the casinos and discharge of sewage waters and dumping of garbage in these rivers.
“The River Sal is polluted at the Khareband bridge because of large scale discharge of sewage water and garbage in the river. This has to stop immediately as these rivers are the lifeline of Goa,” Kerkar said, while saying that Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) are the need of the hour to tackle sewage discharge.
Don’t take K’taka govt’s undertaking at face value, State govt warned
MARGAO: Noted environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar has warned that the Goa government remain vigilant and should not take Karnataka government’s undertaking before the Mhadei Water Tribunal at face value given the bitter past when similar promises and undertakings were all breached.
“In August 2017, the Karnataka government had given a similar undertaking before the Water Tribunal, but the ground reality turned out different. They breached the undertaking. Karnataka’s track record is bad and Goa government should remain ever alert and vigilant,” Kerkar told The Goan when asked for his comment on Karnataka government’s undertaking before the Tribunal not to start work and divert waters of river Mhadei.
He pointed out that the Karnataka government would have taken the Goa government into confidence at every stage if it was serious in resolving the water dispute and would not have taken decisions unilaterally.
