MARGAO
Unveiling the action plan to further intensify the agitation on Mhadei, the Save Mhadei, Save Goa on Friday gave a call to the people of Goa to light lamps and candles at their verandas and galleries with their families on February 12 in a symbolic protest what the organization called to awaken the Goa government from slumber.
The organization has further resolved to hold a massive public meeting at Margao before March end and to organize a massive morcha to the Legislative Assembly or in the state capital to convey a message loud and clear that Goans will not rest till the interests of the State on Mhadei are fully protected.
Addressing the media in the city here on Friday, members of the Save Mhadei, Save Goa panel gave a call to the people of Goa to light lamps and candles at their houses on February 12 for half an hour between 7 pm to 7.30 pm. “This is part of our agitation to save Mhadei river and to stop Karnataka from diverting the water. Goans will be starved for water if Mhadei is diverted by Karnataka. This is not acceptable. We are moving across the state to raise awareness amongst the people in a peaceful manner”, informed Serafino Cota.
Tara Kerkar urged the people to join the candle light campaign on February 12 evening at their respective houses. “People should light the lamps and candles at their verandas and galleries with families and upload the same on the social media to awaken the government”, Tara said.
Activist Anthony D’Silva also made a similar appeal to the people, saying the campaign will convey a message and enlighten the government to protect Goa’s interests on Mhadei.
Pratima Coutinho also made an appeal to all people from young to old and children to senior citizens to join in the candle light campaign on.
Briefing the media, Prashant Naik informed that the Save Mhadei, Save Goa campaign is bracing for a long drawn battle on Mhadei, admitting that one cannot expect success overnight. He said the Save Mhadei, Save Goa front will hold meetings at all the taluka centres in South Goa in the next 15-20 days culminating in a massive meeting at the historic Lohia Maidan by March-end.
Naik urged the government to expedite the ongoing beautification works and hand over the Lohia Maidan to the Margao Municipality at the earliest. “Even if the government tries to play dirty by delaying in handing the Lohia Maidan to MMC, we will hold the public meeting at another place in Margao before March-end”, he vowed.
To a question, Naik lamented that the government has not yet challenged the DPR nod given to Karnataka to divert the Mhadei river water. “When a delegation of the panel called on the Governor, P S Sreedharan Pillai earlier this week, we were told that the DPR is not challenged yet. Today, the news has come that Mhadei will come up for hearing in the Supreme Court on February 13. We have lost the battle many a time because of the failures of successive governments. We hope the government will exhaust all options to save Mhadei and foil Karnataka’s attempts to divert the river waters”, he added.
Underscoring the need for a people’s movement to save Mhadei river, Naik unveiled plans to take the movement to the nook and corner of the state before a massive rally is taken to the Assembly or in the State’s capital.
